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Burma’s military
regime has produced its own landmines since the 1960s
and is one of only 13 countries in the world still
to be doing so. Moreover, Burma is one of the only
three governments that are still using anti-personnel
mines. Burma’s military uses landmines mostly
in its fight against armed ethnic and political opposition
groups. Some of these groups also use landmines in
an attempt to protect themselves and displaced villagers
from advancing SPDC Army troops.
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Up to 1,500 people, most of them civilians, are killed
or injured every year by landmines in Burma. |
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10 of Burma's 14 states and divisions are contaminated
by landmines, with the highest concentration in border
areas. |
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Burma's military regime has not acceded to the 1997
Mine Ban Treaty, also known as the Ottawa Convention,
which has been signed by 153 countries. |
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| Since 1989, more
than six dozen bomb explosions have occurred through
out Burma. Rangoon periodically suffers small bombings.
Junta officials usually blame the blasts on opponents
of the military regime -- either ethnic armed opposition
groups or pro-democracy opposition in exile. However,
culprits are never apprehended. |
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On 20 April 2006, a series of six bombings caused
minor damage to several buildings in downtown Rangoon. |
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On 7 May 2005 more than ten people were killed and
more than 150 injured when three explosions rocked
two busy shopping malls and a convention centre in
the city. |
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In late 2002, apparent letter bombs were sent to Burmese
embassies in Japan, Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines,
but were detected before they could do any damage. |
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A letter bomb posted in 1997 to the Rangoon home of
Gen Tin Oo, then a top military leader, did explode,
killing his adult daughter. |
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