By Independent Mon News Agency – The Burmese authorities have ordered the phone lines turned off for two days in Mon State after an armed group seized the Telecommunications Office in Mudon Township on May 14th.
Chit Aung, an overseas phone owner in Mudon Township, said that “They told us to turn off our phones after the blast for two days. We just turned it on today.”
Not all phones were ordered turned off. The type of phone to which the Burmese authorities referred was a phone used for international calls and money transfers.
A group of five people seized the Telecommunications office on Saturday morning, killing a police and injuring a telecommunications officer.
This is the first bomb blast to be set off after the new government was instated in Mon State in March, led by General Ohn Myint.
The Burmese authorities have tightened security along the road to Mudon Township while they investigate the case. Thus far, no group has claimed responsibility for the blast.
“They [the Burmese army] have deployed their troops from Mudon to Abit village,” said Nai Tin Aung, travelling yesterday from Moulmein to Mudon.
The Burmese authorities, including police, soldiers, and the military intelligence have set up military check points since the blast.
“They checked every one, especially they open every motorbike,” said a villager from Yin Taung village.
There are two ethnic armed groups active near Mudon; one is the New Mon State Party and the other is the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Both armed groups refused to serve under the Burmese-led Border Guard Forces.
The residents who live nearby the Telecommunications office are worried that they will be suspects and arrested by the authorities. Several innocent people were arrested after a bomb blast in July 2008.
