Increasing number of clashes between Burmese army and police lead to more injuries

DVB ( July 4,2003 )

At least one policeman was dead and four were wounded after continuous clashes with the army in Burma last week.

The first incident happened on 25th July near the military academy at Myamyo in Mandalay Division.

Eight Chinese youth attacked six soldiers with motorbikes after they had a heated argument in a restaurant. Later, the youth fled to a house and called the police for help.

According to an eye witness, the police tried to stop the fight but was unsuccessful. Finally the police needed to split the groups by gun fires.

One soldier was wounded on the arm and the head of the police station was hospitalised.

Another incident happened on the 28th July at the police station of Mikyaungyae Village near Magwe in upper Burma.

According to the local people, the shooting was started because the new police officer, U Than Tin who was transferred from the army made unpleasant comment on U Tin Tun, the chief police officer of the station and the district officer U Tin Tun Oo.

Both police officers were seriously wounded. Special Forces from Tatmat [Battalion] – 88 and the police forces were called to arrest U Than Tin after he attempted to escape.

The last incident which led to the death of one policeman, however, was not a result of direct dispute between the army and the police.

On 29th July, three policemen who were guarding a bridge at Palaw-Palauk motorway tried to stop and search a car without knowing the driver’s identity.

But the driver, Aung Myo San of Infantry Battalion [IB] – 208, swore at the policemen and drove off.

When the policemen argued whether they should have stopped the car, Soe Win, a police officer shot his colleague Hla Win who died on his way to Palaw Hospital.