Bombs were placed near a pavilion set up to celebrate a water festival near Kandawgyi Lake. State TV reports eight dead. The authorities close emergency ward where injured were taken to stop news leaks. Sources tell AsiaNews the junta wants to fuel a “terror strategy” ahead of upcoming elections.

Yangon (AsiaNews) – Three bombs exploded at a water festival in Yangon on Thursday; killing eight people; wounding 75, state TV reported. Sources told AsiaNews that about 30 people were killed and that the military junta has adopted a “terror strategy” to crush any democratic opposition.

Three bombs exploded in quick succession near Kandawgyi Lake, in Mingalartaungnyunt Township, which was crowded with people enjoying Burma's water festival from 13 to 16 April, a four-day event that marks the start of Burmese New Year.

In a brief statement, state TV announced the death of eight people. The authorities closed the emergency ward in the Yangon hospital where about 30 injured people were rushed to prevent news leaks.

The military junta has not made any statement yet, or blamed any group, dissidents or ethnic minorities, for the attacks.

Local sources told AsiaNews that “more than 30 people died” in the blasts and that dozens of people were injured. The blasts, they said, occurred near medical stand, one of the many areas where “people gather to spray water on each other as dictated by tradition.” The bombs blew up the structure with an “intent to kill”.

In recent days, there were explosions in other parts of the city and elsewhere in the country.

“Bombs are usually placed in public lavatories or trash cans,” the sources said. “But today’s attacks were designed to cause a massacre”. At this time of the year, visitors crowd the festival area, mostly middle class people who support the pro-democracy opposition.

“The attack was a move by the regime. It is connected to the upcoming elections and is an attempt to silence any opposition that might threaten the interests of the military,” the source told AsiaNews. “The goal is to fuel a ‘terror strategy’ and send a ‘warning’ ahead of the poll to those groups and segments of the population that are against the military dictatorship.”

Recently, the leaders of the National League for Democracy (NLD), the country’s main political opposition, announced that they would not register the party, thus staying away from the election. They are against the rules adopted by the Election Commission, which prevent Aung San Suu Kyi, who is still under house arrest, from running.

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• military
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• elections
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• san
• suu
• kyi