The violent suppression of recent peaceful protests in Burma was commanded by at least two government ministers, according to reliable sources in Rangoon.
Home Minister Maung Oo and Minister of Industry-1 Aung Thaung directed the suppression of the demonstrations that began on August 19 against a sharp rise in fuel prices, the sources said. Some local analysts say the tactics differed from those used by the once-powerful military intelligence.
Police officers in plainclothes, members of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association and the paramilitary-group Swan Arr Shin violently dispersed peaceful protesters led by the 88 Generation Students group and rank-and-file members of the opposition National League for Democracy.
The USDA became notorious with its involvement in the attack on a motorcade of the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Depayin, Sagaing Division, in May 2003.
Ministers Aung Thaung and Maung Oo are executive members of the USDA, as are other high-ranking leaders of the military government.
“It seems that they [Aung Thaung and Maung Oo] systematically organized such a crackdown against protests in advance,” a veteran local journalist told The Irrawaddy on Monday. “We believe those two ministers call the shots.”
Analysts agree, however, that Aung Thaung and Maung Oo would need a green light from junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe before organizing the suppression of the recent demonstrations.
Other sources said that the two ministers also instructed the hiring of thugs to participate in the crackdown. The junta-backed mobs violently punched, kicked and dragged protesters while arresting them. Uniformed officials were rarely seen at the protests.
More than 100 protesters are being held in the regime’s detention centers following the protests. Some of them were injured.
Some local observers give greater weight to the role of Aung Thaung, who is believed to be one of the regime’s hardliners.
One analyst in Rangoon who requested anonymity said that Maung Oo played a key role but he was relatively “soft” compared to Aung Thaung, who is among the very small number of ministers privileged to talk often to Than Shwe.
“The recent type of crackdown was more obviously different from the ones under MI,” the analyst said, referring to the military intelligence apparatus run by sacked prime minister and MI head Gen Khin Nyunt.
The MI used to be the sole powerful institution with the authority to crack down on the opposition movement and paralyze it.
The analyst added that since the official demolition of the MI apparatus following the purge of Khin Nyunt in 2004, the police special branch had taken that responsibility. Activist sources said a unit of the police special branch is currently based at Insein Prison, interrogating activists, including 13 prominent members of the 88 Generation Students group who are believed to be detained there.
Some other observers said that Than Shwe and his deputy, Deputy Snr-Gen Maung Aye, were reluctant to hand authority to the organization that succeeded the MI, the Military Affairs Security.
Aung Thaung is also believed to have organized demonstrations outside the US and British embassies in Rangoon earlier this year against the US-led initiative to bring Burma before the UN Security Council.
Home Minister Maung Oo and Minister of Industry-1 Aung Thaung directed the suppression of the demonstrations that began on August 19 against a sharp rise in fuel prices, the sources said. Some local analysts say the tactics differed from those used by the once-powerful military intelligence.
Police officers in plainclothes, members of the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Association and the paramilitary-group Swan Arr Shin violently dispersed peaceful protesters led by the 88 Generation Students group and rank-and-file members of the opposition National League for Democracy.
The USDA became notorious with its involvement in the attack on a motorcade of the pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Depayin, Sagaing Division, in May 2003.
Ministers Aung Thaung and Maung Oo are executive members of the USDA, as are other high-ranking leaders of the military government.
“It seems that they [Aung Thaung and Maung Oo] systematically organized such a crackdown against protests in advance,” a veteran local journalist told The Irrawaddy on Monday. “We believe those two ministers call the shots.”
Analysts agree, however, that Aung Thaung and Maung Oo would need a green light from junta leader Snr-Gen Than Shwe before organizing the suppression of the recent demonstrations.
Other sources said that the two ministers also instructed the hiring of thugs to participate in the crackdown. The junta-backed mobs violently punched, kicked and dragged protesters while arresting them. Uniformed officials were rarely seen at the protests.
More than 100 protesters are being held in the regime’s detention centers following the protests. Some of them were injured.
Some local observers give greater weight to the role of Aung Thaung, who is believed to be one of the regime’s hardliners.
One analyst in Rangoon who requested anonymity said that Maung Oo played a key role but he was relatively “soft” compared to Aung Thaung, who is among the very small number of ministers privileged to talk often to Than Shwe.
“The recent type of crackdown was more obviously different from the ones under MI,” the analyst said, referring to the military intelligence apparatus run by sacked prime minister and MI head Gen Khin Nyunt.
The MI used to be the sole powerful institution with the authority to crack down on the opposition movement and paralyze it.
The analyst added that since the official demolition of the MI apparatus following the purge of Khin Nyunt in 2004, the police special branch had taken that responsibility. Activist sources said a unit of the police special branch is currently based at Insein Prison, interrogating activists, including 13 prominent members of the 88 Generation Students group who are believed to be detained there.
Some other observers said that Than Shwe and his deputy, Deputy Snr-Gen Maung Aye, were reluctant to hand authority to the organization that succeeded the MI, the Military Affairs Security.
Aung Thaung is also believed to have organized demonstrations outside the US and British embassies in Rangoon earlier this year against the US-led initiative to bring Burma before the UN Security Council.
