RANGOON TRIPLE BOMBINGS: MAY 9 SITREP

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000549

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV, DS/IP/EA,; CA/OCS; PACOM FOR FPA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV PINS PTER ASEC CASC BM
SUBJECT: RANGOON TRIPLE BOMBINGS: MAY 9 SITREP

REF: RANGOON 542 AND PREVIOUS

Classified By: DCM Ronald K. McMullen for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Summary: Two days following the May 7 triple bombing,
Rangoon is quiet, but city residents are in a state of shock
over the carefully coordinated explosions that targeted
crowded areas frequented by affluent Burmese as well as by
foreign residents. The GOB has not altered its casualty
figures (11 dead and 162 wounded),but the actual toll could
be at least as high as 25 dead and well over 200 wounded.
All official Americans have been accounted for and there were
no known Amcits among the casualties. Although U.S. mission
personnel and other diplomats frequent the two grocery stores
at the bombing sites, there is no evidence that American
citizens were specifically targeted. The GOB's reaction has
been telling: focus on security, leave trauma care to the
overwhelmed and under-equipped public hospitals, and seize
the opportunity for political gain by quickly blaming regime
opponents. End Summary.

Quiet - but Shocked
--------------


2. (SBU) Rangoon is quiet two days after three deadly
explosions rocked the city on May 7. The three bombing sites
(a trade center and two shopping complexes) remain shuttered
and heavily guarded, and authorities have closed or tightly
restricted access to other major shopping centers and public
venues. However, most commercial activity resumed on May 9
for a typical Monday morning in Rangoon and the city had a
distinctive "business as usual" atmosphere.


3. (SBU) Despite the appearance of normalcy, however, city
residents are in a state of shock after the triple bombings.
Previous bombings in the capital and at upcountry locations,
at least in recent years, have typically involved
homemade-style explosives resulting in minimal loss of life
and damage. The May 7 triple bombings, however, were large,
carefully coordinated blasts that targeted crowded areas
frequented by middle- and upper-class Burmese, as well as by
diplomats and other foreign residents.

Casualties and Chaos
--------------


4. (C) The GOB has not altered its preliminary casualties
figures (11 dead and 162 wounded). However, police and
hospital sources indicate that the actual toll is likely
higher (at least 16 confirmed dead and over 200 wounded) and,
taking into consideration those victims who have subsequently
succumbed to serious injuries, fatalities may exceed 25 dead.



5. (SBU) According to eye-witnesses, the explosions
immediately led to chaos at the blast sites, where body parts
and twisted wreckage made rescue a challenge. Eye-witnesses
also observed that while the GOB responded quickly with
security forces and riot police, the official emergency
response was paltry and most victims were rushed to local
hospitals with taxis and private vehicles.


6. (SBU) The focal point for emergency care has been
Rangoon's General Hospital, which is the GOB's only
non-military medical facility equipped to handle massive
trauma. However, the hospital apparently reached maximum
capacity at 90 patients and other victims were directed to a
half dozen other government hospitals. Several sources have
told Emboffs that security officials warned private clinics
not to treat serious cases because the bombings were viewed
as politically motivated, intimating that the GOB wanted full
control of the emergency response.

No Know Amcit Targets or Victims
--------------


7. (SBU) According to Embassy sources, several foreigners
were slightly wounded, including the son of the Cambodian
ambassador and possibly a Malaysian citizen and several
Koreans. All official Americans, including faculty at the
U.S. mission-affiliated International School Yangon (ISY),
have been accounted for and there were no known Amcits among
the casualties. There were, however, several "close calls,"
as U.S. mission personnel and other diplomats frequent the
two City Mart grocery stores that were bombed. There is no
evidence, however, that American citizens were specifically
targeted in the bombings.


8. (SBU) The May 7 bombings instantly created speculation
about possible motives (septel) and fed rumors about
additional, thwarted bombings at other shopping centers. GOB
sources deny that any explosive devices were discovered
elsewhere in Rangoon. On May 8, two of Rangoon's largest
hotels (Inya Lake and Traders) apparently received bomb
threats, but security officials found nothing suspicious at
either location and both hotels remained opened for business.

Comment: First Thing's First
--------------


9. (C) From a crisis management perspective, the GOB's
reaction to the triple bombing left much to be desired.
Emboffs and contacts who visited the blast sites within the
first hour after the explosions were struck by the presence
of hundreds of riot police and armed soldiers, but observed a
total of two fire trucks and less than half a dozen
ambulances activated for the entire crisis. End Comment.
Martinez