BURMA: TWO SMALL BOMBINGS IN RANGOON, NO CASUALTIES

UNCLAS RANGOON 000135 SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP AND CA/OCS; DS FOR DS/IP/EAP AND DSCC; PACOM FOR FPA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ASEC CASC PGOV PINR BM SUBJECT: BURMA: TWO SMALL BOMBINGS IN RANGOON, NO CASUALTIES ¶1. (SBU) Police Special Branch has reported, and RSO has independently confirmed, that two small bombs exploded in central Rangoon on the evening of March 3. Police have reported no casualties. Post has not received any reports that American Citizens were affected, and neither location is frequented by Americans. The first explosion took place at approximately 2100 hrs inside a park near Myaynigone Junction. The second took place at approximately 2300 hrs at a bus stop near Hledan Junction. ¶2. (SBU) Police have not commented on who is to blame for the blasts and no one has claimed responsibility. As of the afternoon of March 4, neither incident has been reported in the state media. The government has occasionally blamed insurgents and opposition activists for similar bombings in the past, although the regime has never presented any credible evidence to back up these assertions. ¶3. (SBU) The last bombings in Rangoon took place on October 18 and 19, 2008, when two bombs exploded at a soccer field and a private home, respectively. At the time, police reported only one casualty and claimed that the dead man was a bomb-maker. Police did not, however, identify the man or present any evidence of his involvement. VAJDA