2009 Country Reports on Terrorism - Burma
| Publisher | United States Department of State |
| Publication Date | 5 August 2010 |
| Cite as | United States Department of State, 2009 Country Reports on Terrorism - Burma, 5 August 2010, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4c63b6525.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Government of Burma defined almost all anti-regime activities as "acts of terrorism," making little distinction between peaceful political dissent and violent attacks by insurgents or criminals. The government characterized dissident groups as aligned with terrorist organizations and has used this as justification to scrutinize and disrupt dissident activities. In December 2009, bombs exploded in Rangoon and other parts of Burma. The government attributed the bombings to subversives or insurgents intent on disturbing the stability of the state. Authorities have not made public any evidence of a genuine investigation nor have they identified the specific perpetrator(s). Requests by the U.S. Embassy to view either specific bomb scenes or remaining fragments of explosive devices were consistently denied.
In October, a Government of Burma liaison informed U.S. officials that its Special Branch police had arrested three members of an anti-Burma group that was planning to set off explosives in Rangoon, including targeting the U.S. Embassy. The Burmese liaison advised that the arrested persons were not members of a terrorist organization as defined by the U.S. government. This was a departure from past practice, in which, as noted, the Government of Burma defined all groups allegedly engaged in bombings as terrorists.
