Illegal gambling reopened in Burma

DVB (2003 July 15)

It is reported that the Central Police Directorate of Burma has recently sent a directive to local police stations around the country to let gambling centres discreetly reopen illegal lottery games which were strictly banned previously.
A source from the Burmese army told the DVB that it is an effort to divert the attention of the people from recent incident at Dipeyin [Tabayin] on the 30th of May. In order to make the campaign successful, many official ‘Aungbale’ lottery tickets are being rationed to the police stations.

The directive also told the police informers to find out the attitudes of the local people and report them twice a day to their respective directorates. In a directive to the military intelligence [MI] agents, the local agents are told to co-ordinate with local police to find all the NLD members who were at the Dipeyin massacre and have been trying to flee the country.

Joint operative forces composed of MI agents, police, immigration officials and local township delegates are to be stationed at crucial border crossings points including Myawaddy-Maesod, Tachileik-Maesai, Thanbyuzayat, Three Pagodas Pass, Kawthaung-Ranong areas.

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 15 Jul 03