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Title: Myanmar Police Force
Description: "[The] Myanmar Police Force, formally known as The People's Police Force, was established in 1964 as independent department under Ministry of Home Affairs. It was reorganised on 1 October 1995 and informally become part of Tatmadaw. Current Director General of Myanmar Police Force is Brigadier General Khin Yi with its headquarters at Yangon. Its command structure is based on established civil jurisdictions. Each of Myanmar's seven states and seven divisions has their own Police Forces with headquarters in the respective capital cities..."
Source/publisher: Wikipedia
Date of entry/update: 2007-10-08
Grouping: Websites/Multiple Documents
Category: Police
Language: English
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Individual Documents

Title: Myanmar Coup Leader Renames Controversial Mon State Bridge
Description: "Myanmar’s coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing has renamed a controversial bridge in Mon State whose naming caused friction between the National League for Democracy (NLD) government and local residents four years ago. Originally named the General Aung San Bridge (Belu Island), the bridge was retitled the Thanlwin Bridge (Chaungzon) by the junta on Tuesday. The bridge spans the Salween River linking Mawlamyine and Chaungzon Townships. Local residents in Mon State strongly opposed the NLD government’s 2017 decision to name the bridge after independence hero Gen Aung San, preferring names like Chaungzon Bridge or Yarmanya, which means ‘Mon State’ in the Mon language spoken in the region. Snr. Gen Min Aung Hlaing attended the renaming ceremony on Tuesday morning, along with his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, two military council members: Mahn Nyein Maung and Dr. Banyar Aung Moe, who is also a central executive committee member of the Mon Unity Party (MUP). The MUP had requested that the bridge be renamed Yarmanya but the junta chose Thanlwin Bridge (Chaungzon), likely for political reasons as it tries to gain support in Mon State. The regime also changed the background color of the bridge’s nameplate from red to green. However, local residents said that they do not have any strong feelings over the bridge’s name since they were only concerned with ending military rule, which is the enemy of the people. Dr. Aung Naing Oo, a former leading member of the central executive committee of the MUP and a former deputy speaker of the Mon State Parliament said on his Facebook page on Monday that the goal of the Mon people was not the renaming of the bridge. “In building a country, there needs to emerge a reliable and good political system for all ethnic people that shows respect and understanding for each other” he said..."
Source/publisher: "The Irrawaddy" (Thailand)
Date of publication: 2021-06-01
Date of entry/update: 2021-06-01
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Title: Second death of official from Aung San Suu Kyi's party raises fears of Myanmar military detention
Description: "An official from ousted Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi's party has died in custody following alleged torture, the second such death while in detention of junta forces this week, according to a watchdog group. The deaths have raised concerns about the condition and treatment detainees are receiving in detention. Since the military seized power in a coup on February 1, security forces quickly moved to stifle dissent and arrested government officials, protesters, journalists, civil servants and NGO workers, and repressed independent media. Many people have been taken arbitrarily in nighttime raids and their families do not know where their loved ones are, or what condition they are in, the United Nations said. Human Rights Watch said that people who are forcibly disappeared are more likely to be subjected to torture or ill-treatment than others arrested. The National League for Democracy's (NLD) Zaw Myat Lynn died in custody on Tuesday after he was arrested in the biggest city Yangon, Reuters reported, citing ousted parliamentarian Ba Myo Thein. Watchdog group Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) released a statement saying "Zaw Myat Lynn, who was head of an educational institute, was announced dead today from injuries consistent with torture following an arbitrary nighttime raid." The exact cause of death is still unknown but AAPP added Zaw Myat Lynn was subjected to beatings. Shortly before his arrest, Zaw Myat Lynn posted a livestream on Facebook in which he said, "I want to encourage all citizens across the country that we will be protesting day and night for 24 hours against the dictatorship." He urged people to continue fighting the army, saying "we will risk our lives to defeat them." "We are showing to the international communities including UN and other agencies that we, citizens of Myanmar want democracy and we value democracy as the most precious thing in our lives," he said. It follows the death of a Yangon NLD party chairman Khin Maung Latt, who died while in custody on Saturday. "On the night of his arrest, Khin Maung Latt was tortured to death in his cell," AAPP said in a news release. Reports of bruising to Khin Maung Latt's head and body raised suspicions he had been abused, NLD lawmaker Ba Myo Thein told Reuters. CNN cannot independently verify this reporting and the details surrounding the deaths of Zaw Myat Lynn and Khin Maung Latt's are not immediately clear..."
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Source/publisher: "CNN" (USA)
Date of publication: 2021-03-10
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-10
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Myanmar: Reporter placed in chokehold as 6 journalists charged
Sub-title: Six journalists are facing charges punishable with up to three years in prison amid a crackdown on anti-coup protests.
Description: "The Associated Press news agency released a video on Wednesday that showed Myanmar security forces holding an AP journalist in a chokehold and handcuffs as security forces crack down on anti-coup protests. Myanmar authorities have charged Thein Zaw and five other journalists with violating a public order law, which could put them in prison for up to three years. "Independent journalists must be allowed to freely and safely report the news without fear of retribution," Ian Phillips, AP vice president for international news, said on Wednesday, calling for Thein Zaw's immediate release. What did the video show? In the AP video, Thein Zaw appears to be photographing security forces running at protesters on Saturday in Myanmar's largest city Yangon. Thein Zaw tries to escape as seven people place him in a chokehold and handcuffs. A policeman then pulls him with the handcuffs. What do we know about the charges? According to AP, Thein Zaw's lawyer said he faces charges under a law that punishes spreading false news, causing fear, or agitating for a criminal offense against public employees. The junta amended the law last month to increase the penalty from two years and widen its jurisdiction, the lawyer told AP. Thein Zaw, 32, is reportedly being held in Insein Prison in northern Yangon, where previous military regimes sent political prisoners. AP said that the lawyer confirmed Thein Zaw could be held until March 12 without another hearing. Among the charged journalists are reporters working for Myanmar Now, Myanmar Photo Agency, 7Day News, Zee Kwet online news and a freelancer, AP reported..."
Source/publisher: "DW News" (Germany)
Date of publication: 2021-03-04
Date of entry/update: 2021-03-04
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Pro-military thugs injure two in attack on restaurant in army stronghold of Meiktila
Sub-title: ‘It’s as if the people in charge knew this was going to happen and deliberately let it happen,’ says man injured in attack
Description: "Knife-wielding thugs supporting the military ransacked a restaurant in Meiktila and threw bricks on Friday after accusing the diners of banging pots and pans in defiance of last week’s coup. The attackers were marching through the town in central Myanmar, which is home to several military barracks, at around 4pm before they stormed into the Ywet Nu restaurant, witnesses said. Videos posted on Facebook showed them throwing rocks, using slingshots, and overturning tables and chairs. Witnesses said the windows of nearby houses were also broken. “When they were marching, we were eating,” said Than Tun Lin, the restaurant’s owner, who injured his neck during the attack. “Then they just barged inside the restaurant claiming we were banging our pots and pans and started throwing bricks. Some of them had knives, it was like a hijack.” Another person, Chit San Maung, was injured in the neck, back, stomach and shoulders during the attack. “It’s like there’s no security in the town, we don’t even feel safe. And it’s as if the people in charge knew this was going to happen and deliberately let it happen,” says Chit San Maung, who was attacked. Meiktila township police station chief officer Thein Tun denied the allegation. “When the person concerned reports the case, we’ll take necessary action. We’ve been on patrols around the town for safety, taking precautions to maintain rule of law,” he told Myanmar Now..."
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Now" (Myanmar)
Date of publication: 2021-02-14
Date of entry/update: 2021-02-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Title: Building a better police force
Description: "The Myanmar Police Force is understaffed, under-resourced and unliked but there are plans to improve its image through better training in a joint project with the UN Office on Drugs and Crime...The image of the Myanmar Police Force has long been tarnished by a reputation for corruption and brutality. The world watched appalled as police bashed protesters at Letpadan just over a year ago. It is common knowledge that suspects are often assaulted after being arrested. Deaths in custody are not unknown. Sex workers, gay and transgender suspects have been sexually assaulted at police stations, and there have been incidents when the police were curiously reluctant to intervene in incidents, such as when communal violence raged at Meiktila in March 2013. ?The calibre of Myanmar police is the lowest in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, let alone the international level,” said an MPF officer who participated in a US$10 million police reform program launched by the European Union in late 2013 that included training in crowd management and human rights. The officer spoke on condition of anonymity. After the National League for Democracy government took office it launched a reform initiative for its first 100 days that included an emphasis on the rule of law and raising the image of the MPF..."
Creator/author: Htun Khaing
Source/publisher: "Frontier Myanmar"
Date of publication: 2016-06-13
Date of entry/update: 2016-06-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Category: Police
Language: English
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Title: The mean streets of Hlaing Tharyar
Description: "...While all-out street brawls might not be an everyday occurrence in Hlaing Tharyar, the township is awash with crime ? everything from fistfights, robberies, rapes and extortion to assaults and home detentions by lenders against debtors. A senior police officer from the Hlaing Tharyar Myoma Police Station said some of these cases are brought to the attention of police, but many others are ?solved” by calling in local toughs who rely on intimidation. Among the obstacles to maintaining rule of law in the township are the huge growth in population, and an insufficient police force. Last year?s census identified 684,700 residents, about half of whom are squatting illegally on land they do not own or rent. Many of these squatters are thought to have migrated to the area in the wake of Cyclone Nargis in May 2008..."
Creator/author: Khin Wine Phyu Phyu
Source/publisher: "Myanmar Times"
Date of publication: 2015-08-28
Date of entry/update: 2015-08-30
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: Burma?s police: The long road to reform
Description: "...The MPF is gradually being recognised as a large, increasingly powerful and influential organisation that, in a more modern and civilianised form, seems likely to become a key instrument of state control under the mixed civilian-military government inaugurated in Naypyidaw in March 2011. Even before President Thein Sein came to power, an effort was being made to expand the MPF?s capabilities, improve its performance and reform its culture. The force is now about 80,000 strong, which gives an estimated ratio of one policeman for every 750 Burmese citizens. (Australia?s national average is about 1:350). This includes 18 battalions of paramilitary police, specially equipped to respond to serious outbreaks of civil unrest such as that seen in Arakan (Rakhine) State earlier this year. The MPF is grappling with a wide range of problems, with the aim of creating a more professional force. Loyalty to government is still valued highly, but there is now a greater emphasis in training courses on personal discipline and an increased focus on community policing. Officer recruitment standards have been raised and specialised instruction at all levels has increased. Some steps have been taken to deal with corruption and further measures have been promised..."
Creator/author: Andrew Selth
Source/publisher: "The Interpreter"
Date of publication: 2012-12-13
Date of entry/update: 2015-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Category: Police
Language: English
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Title: Myanmar police force needs more foreign help to reform
Description: "Two years ago, I wrote that the Myanmar Police Force (MPF) was gradually being recognised as a large, increasingly powerful and influential organisation that, in a more civilianised form, was likely to become a key instrument of state control under the hybrid civilian-military Government inaugurated in Naypyidaw in 2011. Since then, there have been a growing number of reports in the news media suggesting that President Thein Sein?s comprehensive reform program has slowed down, or even stalled. With that in mind, it is worth looking at the MPF again to see how the transition described in my 2012 post is going. There have been some positive developments. The MPF has been restructured and includes several new departments, such as the aviation, maritime, border and tourist police. Some modern equipment has been acquired. A major recruitment program is underway and training institutions now provide courses on modern policing and human rights. Greater emphasis is being given to tackle transnational crime. More importantly, perhaps, the MPF is emphasising a ?service-oriented approach? and giving a high priority to issues like accountability, transparency and respect for human rights. There is a new MPF code of conduct. Such rhetoric has been heard before, but recent statements by senior police officers seem to reflect a genuine wish to change the force?s image, ethos and behaviour..."
Creator/author: Andrew Selth
Source/publisher: "The Interpreter"
Date of publication: 2014-12-03
Date of entry/update: 2015-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Category: Police
Language: English
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Title: Second thoughts on the civil unrest in Burma
Description: "Now that the dust has settled on last month?s civil unrest in Burma, it is worth pausing to reflect on the protests and official responses to see if any important factors have escaped public attention. I am prompted to do so because the conventional narrative does not completely match what I heard in Rangoon at the time..."
Creator/author: Andrew Selth
Source/publisher: "The Interpreter"
Date of publication: 2015-04-14
Date of entry/update: 2015-05-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Title: POLICE REFORM IN BURMA (MYANMAR): AIMS, OBSTACLES AND OUTCOMES
Description: Executive Summary: "Despite all the publicity that Burma has received since the inauguration of a hybrid military - civilian parliament in 2011, and the launch o f an ambitious reform program by President Thein Sein, there are some important issues which seem to have escaped serious study. It has become clear, for example, that the new government wishes not only to reinvigorate plans to expand and remodel the Myanm ar Police Force (MPF), but also to give it a more distinctive civilian style and ethos, and see it take greater responsibility for some key aspects of the country ? s internal security. Indeed, such steps will be essential if Burma is to strengthen the rule of law and make an orderly transition to a genuine and sustainable democracy . The armed forces ( Tatmadaw ) will remain responsible for external defence and for counter - insurgency campaigns against armed ethnic groups. However, it seems to be envisaged that , as part of the broad democratisation process, the MPF will assume a greater role in terms of law enforcement and the maintenance of internal order. Already, there are more blue uniforms than green uniforms on the streets protecting VIPs and standing stat ic guard outside diplomatic missions. The police can also be expected to play a larger part in quelling civil unrest, with the army only called upon to provide aid to the ? civil ? power during emergencies, as occurred in Arakan (Rakhine) State in 2012 and M eiktila in 2013. To this end, the MPF is being expanded, restructured and modernised. It is already larger and more powerful than it has been since the colonial era, but the goal is a force of over 100,000 men and women, with 34 ? combat ? battalions. Recru itment and officer corps entry standards have been raised. At the same time, the MPF ? s doctrine and training programs are being changed to give greater emphasis to ? community - based policing ? by unarmed officers working in close cooperation with the civil p opulation. This approach is not completely new to Burma but, if fully and successfully adopted, it will be in stark contrast to the tough paramilitary style of policing that has characterised the force since General Ne Win ? s 1962 coup. As the Indonesian e xample has shown, however, such a transition will be neither quick nor easy. Burma ? s armed forces remain very powerful. There will be some areas, such as intelligence collection and internal security operations, where the interests of the MPF and Tatmadaw will overlap. The respective roles, responsibilities and associated benefits of the two institutions may be sorted out ? probably in the Tatmadaw ? s favour ? but there is likely to be friction. Also, there are cultural issues in the police force which will take a long time to resolve. Corruption and the abuse of power, for example, are deeply - rooted problems that will be difficult to eradicate. Until they are, the force ? s relations with the general population will remain problematical. Should the MPF be abl e to reinvent itself, however, it has the potential to make a major contribution to Thein Sein ? s reform program and the development of a more democratic, stable and humane society in Burma. Also, as an important civilian body answerable to the public throu gh an ? elec ted ? government, its behaviour ? and treatment by the g overnment ? will be important indicators of progress in current attempts to implement the rule of law in Burma and make the security forces more accountable for their actions"
Creator/author: Andrew Selth
Source/publisher: Griffith Asia Institute, Regional Outlook Paper
Date of publication: 2013-05-00
Date of entry/update: 2015-01-02
Grouping: Individual Documents
Category: Police
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 326.89 KB
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