YANGON, Mar 12: Myanmar police used phosphorus in a crackdown on a rally against a copper mine last year, causing “unnecessary” injuries to dozens of protesters, a parliamentary report led by Aung San Suu Kyi said today.
The probe called for reform of authorities’ riot control methods after more than one hundred people, including scores of monks, were hurt in the November clampdown — the toughest since a reformist regime took power in early 2011.
“We have found that unexpected and unnecessary burns were caused to some monks and civilians because the police used smoke bombs without knowing what their effect would be,” the report said, adding that the devices used contained phosphorus, which “can cause fire when they explode”.
The probe also backed continued work at the controversial Chinese-backed mine in northern Myanmar, despite conceding that the benefit to the country was “slight”.
The recommendation is likely to anger local people who have mounted fierce opposition to the project over environmental concerns and allegations of land-grabbing. (AGENCIES)
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