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Burma confirms phosphorus used in crackdown on mine protesters Burmese government support for copper mine outrages activists
(35 minutes later)
An official report has confirmed that police in Burma used smoke bombs that contained phosphorus during a crackdown on anti-mine protesters last year that left 108 people with burns. The report also recommended the controversial Chinese-backed project continue. Opponents of a nearly $1bn copper mine in north-western Burma have expressed outrage over a government-ordered report that said the project should continue and that refrained from demanding punishment for police involved in a violent crackdown on protesters.
The report by an investigation commission appointed by President Thein Sein and chaired by the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, was released on Monday, more than three months after the incident at the Letpadaung copper mine in north-western Burma. It was the biggest use of force against protesters in Burma since Thein Sein's reformist government took office in March 2011. The opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, chaired the investigation commission that produced the report, which was released late on Monday night. It could pose a problem for Aung San Suu Kyi by identifying her with the pro-growth policies of the government against the interests of grass-roots people's movements.
Protesters say the joint-venture between China's Wanbao mining company and a Burma military conglomerate causes environmental, social and health problems. They want it halted and are demanding punishment for those who hurt peaceful protesters. President Thein Sein appointed the commission after police cracked down on protesters at the Letpadaung mine on 29 November, leaving scores in hospital with serious burns.
The findings are likely to disappoint opponents of the project and could reignite demonstrations. Thwe Thwe Win, a protest leader, said on Tuesday that demonstrations would resume.
Authorities had said they used water cannon, teargas and smoke grenades to break up the 11-day occupation of the mine last November, but protesters said burns were caused by incendiary devices. They described "fire balls" being shot at them during the night-time raid on their encampment. "I am very dissatisfied and it is unacceptable," she said. "There is no clause that will punish anyone who had ordered the violent crackdown. Action should be taken against the person who gave the order."
A separate, independent report released last month by a lawyers' network and an international human rights group said police dispersed the protesters by using white phosphorous, an incendiary agent generally used in war to create smoke screens. Aung San Suu Kyi is scheduled to travel to the mine area, in the town of Monywa, 450 miles (760km) north of Rangoon, to meet the protesting residents on Wednesday.
Monday's report did not specifically mention white phosphorus, saying only that smoke bombs containing phosphorous were used. It said the smoke bombs did not generally create a flame but the phosphorus in them could sometimes burn flammable materials within an eight-metre radius. Protesters say the mine, a joint venture between China's Wan Bao mining company and a Burmese military conglomerate, causes environmental, social and health problems and should be shut down.
Senior police told the commission they used the same smoke bombs during monk-led protests in 2007, known as the Saffron revolution, and they did not cause any burns. The report said the operation should not be halted, even as it acknowledged that the mine lacked strong environmental protection measures and would not create more jobs for local people. The report said scrapping the mine could create tension with China and could discourage much-needed foreign investment.
The commission criticised the police force for failing to understand how the smoke bombs worked and recommended officers receive riot-control training. Those seeking to stop the project contend that the $997m joint venture, signed in May 2010, did not undergo parliamentary scrutiny because it was concluded under the previous military regime. Many in Burma remain suspicious of the military and regard China as an aggressive and exploitative investor that helped support its rule.
The report said the project "should not be unilaterally stopped". While acknowledging the mine lacked strong environmental protection measures and would not create more jobs for local people, it said that scrapping the project could create tension with China and discourage badly needed foreign investment. "The commission should think about the welfare of their own people, poor local villagers, rather than good relations with China," Thwe Thwe Win said.
Aung Thein, an activist lawyer who works with the protesters, said the assertion that the contract should be honoured to maintain good relations was meaningless.
"Some people are afraid of China, but the people in general are not, and they don't feel any obligation toward China," he said.
The November crackdown was the biggest use of force against protesters in Burma since Thein Sein's reformist government took office in March 2011. The military junta that led the country for the previous five decades frequently crushed political dissent.
The use of incendiary devices by the police in the middle of the night to break up the 11-day occupation of mine property outraged many people, especially because most of the people who were burned were Buddhist monks.
The authorities had said they used water cannon, teargas and smoke grenades to break up the protest.
A separate, independent report released last month by a Myanmar lawyers network and an international human rights group said police dispersed the protesters by using white phosphorus, an incendiary agent generally used in war to create smokescreens.
The report released on Monday acknowledged that smoke bombs containing phosphorus were used. It said the smoke bombs do not generally create a flame but the phosphorus in them can sometimes burn flammable materials within an 8-metre radius.
Senior police told the commission that they used the same smoke bombs during monk-led protests in 2007 – the demonstrations known as the Saffron Revolution – and they didn't cause any burns then. The commission faulted the police force for failing to understand how the smoke bombs worked and recommended that police receive riot-control training.
Aung Thein, who helped prepare the earlier independent report, said that police should have known the bombs could cause fires. "There is no excuse for ignorance," he said.