Market bomb defused in Myanmar: State Media

Myanmar authorities defused a bomb planted near a Yangon market, state media said.

Yangon: Myanmar authorities defused a bomb
planted near a Yangon market, state media said on Saturday,
suggesting the device was part of wider efforts to disrupt the
country`s first election in two decades.

The bomb, discovered yesterday, was timed to detonate
early the following day to cause "mass casualties" among
shoppers at the major market, the New Light of Myanmar
newspaper said.

"Acting on information sent by a duty-conscious person,
authorities concerned were able to defuse a time bomb in time
planted on a wooden overpass near Bogyoke Aung San Market,"
the English-language newspaper reported.

"Insurgents, destructive elements and political
opportunists are trying to ramp up instigation and destructive
acts with the aim of disrupting the upcoming multi-party
democracy election following unrest and violence," added
the same report.

Authorities are trying to avoid anti-government feeling
ahead of the country`s first election since 1990, due on
November 7, which has been criticised by activists and the
West as a charade to put a civilian face on junta rule.

The military, which has run the country since 1962, has
banned civilians from holding any weapons and strictly
controls press and other freedoms to maintain its grip on
power.

Sporadic eruptions of civil unrest over the years have
mostly ended bloodily and with the junta maintaining its
position.

PTI

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