MANDALAY EXPLOSION KILLS TWO, INJURES OVER A DOZEN

UNCLAS RANGOON 000489

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINS ASEC CASC BM
SUBJECT: MANDALAY EXPLOSION KILLS TWO, INJURES OVER A DOZEN



1. (SBU) On April 26, a credible source with ties to the GOB
notified the Embassy that an explosive device had detonated
in the late afternoon in Mandalay city's central market, Ze
Gyo. An Embassy contract employee in Mandalay, Burma's
second largest city, visited the scene shortly after the
explosion and later reported that the improvised explosive
device (IED) had been placed inside a plastic bag and
deposited in a trash can between two shops on the first floor
of the busy market.


2. (U) Local sources in Mandalay reported that the explosion
killed two female shop workers and injured over a dozen
others, several seriously. No foreigners were among the
casualties. The Embassy's consular section made contact with
an Amcit who resides in Mandalay and reported that all
registered Amcits were safe and unaffected by the blast.


3. (U) The GOB's official newspaper reported the incident on
April 27, specifying that two persons were killed and 15 were
injured. The GOB article described the incident as a
"subversive act...committed by a group of insurgent
destructive elements who wanted to disturb and destroy
stability of the State." However, the GOB did not offer any
evidence of an investigation or identify a specific
perpetrator.

Martinez