Myanmar Junta’s New Policy of Arming its Supporters Will Lead to More Bloodshed

By The Irrawaddy 20 February 2023

Till the Myanmar army’s 2021 coup, assassinations involving weapons have been uncommon within the nation, with the notable exception of the taking pictures of outstanding lawyer U Ko Ni outdoors Yangon Worldwide Airport in 2017.

However for the reason that putsch, assassinations involving weapons have develop into more and more frequent and are actually occurring on an nearly each day foundation.

Over 5,000 army sympathizers, alleged informants, members of the army’s proxy Union Solidarity and Improvement Get together (USDP), junta officers and staff have been killed for the reason that coup, with one other 4,000 injured, mentioned junta boss Min Aung Hlaing at a gathering of the Nationwide Protection and Safety Council on February 1.

Having failed to guard its supporters and employees, the junta is now making an attempt to treatment that by amending the Arms Act. A brand new coverage issued by the regime’s Ministry of Residence Affairs will enable junta supporters to carry weapons to guard themselves.

The army has already turned a lot of the nation right into a battlefield. Now it’s bringing arms into society itself, an indication certainly of extra bloodshed to return.

Beneath the brand new coverage, arms and ammunition will likely be issued to civilians who conform to take part in native safety and regulation enforcement of their states and areas. In different phrases, the brand new coverage will enable regime supporters to battle for the junta in plain garments.

Residents over the age of 18 will likely be issued licenses permitting them to carry 5 several types of weapons together with pistols and looking rifles. The arms are supposed for USDP members, army supporters, former army personnel, directors, and enterprise homeowners.

“Up to now, licenses to carry arms have been solely granted to outstanding cronies like U Tay Za and U Aung Ko Win. Now it seems that weapons licenses will likely be given to many enterprise folks,” mentioned a supply near the regime.

U Tay Za, a infamous arms dealer and long-time army crony, used to purchase arms from abroad and current them to generals who have been near him, added the supply.

“Generals have a number of the finest foreign-made weapons on this planet. Each common has a couple of gun, other than the one issued to them by the Ka Pa Sa [the Myanmar military’s Directorate of Defense Industries],” mentioned the supply.

In Myanmar, solely the Ministry of Residence Affairs is allowed to import weapons and ammunition, and residents are prohibited from shopping for weapons from overseas.

But it surely has been a very long time since cronies have been in a position to import weapons to current to generals or to make use of for looking and taking pictures sports activities, mentioned a supply from the house affairs ministry.

“The weapons seized from Phyo Ko Ko Tint San have been imported that means,” mentioned the supply.

Phyo Ko Ko Tint San, the son of U Tint San, the sports activities minister in U Thein Sein’s administration, was arrested on October 15, 2017, after two pistols and ammunition, in addition to narcotics, have been found in his backpack at Naypyitaw Airport. Police went on to grab greater than 20 weapons from his resort, firm places of work and homes in Naypyitaw and Yangon. In 2020, Phyo Ko Ko Tint San was sentenced to 30 years to jail.

Beneath the brand new regime coverage, pro-junta militias and safety organizations will likely be allowed to carry pistols, rifles and computerized weapons with permits issued by the house affairs ministry. That is much like the way in which the Myanmar army beforehand armed ethnic militias in Shan State to fight ethnic armed organizations working there.

Because the coup, the regime has fashioned militias generally known as Pyu Noticed Htee to battle the resistance in Sagaing, Magwe and Mandalay areas.

The transfer to arm civilians comes at a time when the junta is dealing with ever-growing resistance nationwide from Individuals’s Protection Forces and ethnic armed organizations.

“This plan quantities to pushing army supporters into the killing fields. There will likely be extra pre-emptive assaults and extra bloodshed,” mentioned a soldier who has joined the Civil Disobedience Motion.

Authorities staff, directors and army supporters within the 37 townships the place the regime has imposed martial regulation will likely be given precedence within the issuing of gun licenses, in keeping with info leaked from the house affairs ministry.

Within the two years for the reason that coup, weapons have already flooded into civilian society. Army supporters have publicly requested to be armed at junta press conferences in order that they will reply to resistance assaults and the regime has now agreed to their calls for.

Infamous ultranationalist and USDP member U Hla Swe has been urging the regime to permit supporters to have licensed weapons.

He mentioned in an interview that some junta-appointed ministers have requested him how they might purchase arms. He has mentioned that he’ll apply for licenses to carry two weapons.

“In actual fact, all of the directors, [junta-allied] politicians and enterprise homeowners have weapons already. And the regime is now making it authorized by asking them to use for licenses,” mentioned a supply within the capital Naypyitaw.

There have already been frequent firefights between junta officers, Pyu Noticed Htee and PDFs within the resistance stronghold of Sagaing Area.

“Troopers and police solely come to wards throughout their patrols. They’re often in police stations and safety outposts for the remainder of the time. However ward directors are at all times of their ward. In order that they face a better safety risk,” mentioned one politician.

Nonetheless, there’s a danger that the brand new coverage will backfire on the regime.

“They [junta supporters] face the danger of their weapons being grabbed. And there’s additionally the danger of officers defecting together with their weapons,” mentioned a putting police officer.

Police and ward directors will know who has weapons of their areas, as folks making use of for the brand new gun licenses must apply to their ward directors and native police first.

Eligible residents will likely be allowed maintain as much as three several types of weapons per particular person below the brand new coverage. Authorities staff will likely be permitted to carry an computerized weapon along with the three several types of gun.

Ammunition can even be issued. The brand new coverage permits 50 bullets for every pistol and 100 bullets for every computerized weapon. Neither telescopic sights nor silencers will likely be allowed below the coverage.

Retired lieutenant colonel and former Nationwide League for Democracy member U Kyaw Zeya wrote on his Fb web page: “I’m not holding arms once more at this age. I’m comfortable to die if somebody comes and kills me.”

“It’s the obligation of the Myanmar army to guard the folks,” he added.

Army lobbyists are calling for arming all officers right down to the extent of 100-household directors.

However there are issues concerning the new weapons getting used to assault non-Buddhists, because the ultranationalist Buddhist affiliation Ma Ba Tha are army supporters. And there are additionally issues concerning the weapons fueling a rise in crime.

The worth of weapons on the black market alongside the Myanmar-Thailand border has elevated by no less than 5 occasions for the reason that coup, in keeping with arms specialists.

“The worth will enhance once more if the army points the licenses,” mentioned a weapon skilled.

The army’s ordnance factories can produce each pistols and bullets, and so they have the capability to fabricate to order, mentioned a putting soldier.

Junta spokesman Main Common Zaw Min Tun has advised pro-regime media retailers that the junta will legalize the institution of weapons-manufacturing firms.

Greater than 3,000 civilians have died by the hands of the junta for the reason that coup, in keeping with a February 17 assertion from the Help Affiliation for Political Prisoners. Now it appears that evidently many extra will die on account of the regime’s new coverage of issuing weapons to its supporters.