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Newspaper blames Rangoon bombs on exiled groups
Irrawaddy - April 19, 2010
Kyaw Thein Kha – Exiled Burmese opposition groups were responsible for the bombing of a pavilion in Rangoon, according to a commentary in a state-run newspaper on Sunday, which said the groups provided terrorist training to migrant workers.
Three bomb blasts caused nine deaths and injured 170 people, according to official reports.
An article in The Mirror newspaper said, "The National League for Democracy (NLD Liberated Area), the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) and the Vigorous Burmese Students' Warriors (VBSW) dispatched the terrorists into the country for violent and deadly attacks."
The article did not provide any evidence for the accusations. It alleged that foreigners from Western countries recruited Burmese refugees, trained them in the use of bombs and mines and gave them money to carry out attacks inside the country.
The Rangoon Division Criminal Investigation Department declined to comment on the investigation when contacted by The Irrawaddy on Monday.
Speaking with The Irrawaddy on Sunday, Moe Zaw Oo, a NLD-LA spokesperson, said, "The regime has accused ethnic armed groups and exiled groups for bomb blasts inside the country in the past. I expected they would accuse us in this case."
He said the accusation is meant to discredit the NLD party which recently decided not to contest the 2010 election being held under the 2008 Constitution, which the NLD said is undemocratic. The party will be dissolved by the regime next month.
Some political analysts have said the bombings could be work of dissident generals within the army.
The construction permit for the X2O pavilion where the bombings occurred was auctioned off with several bids from the sons and daughters of generals.
Salai Yaw Aung, the ABSDF vice general secretary, said, "We deny the accusation concerning the bombings. The ABSDF has never made such an attack. We are an armed group, but we have never attacked the public."
"The problem could be based on tensions among the military generals and among the children of the generals," he said.
Meanwhile, a series of seven bombings occurred at the Myitsone Dam project in Kachin State on Saturday. Authorities have not made any statement about who might be responsible for the attack.
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