April 2010 Yangon Thingyan bombings explained

April 2010 Yangon Thingyan bombings
Partof:Internal Conflict in Myanmar
Location:Yangon, Myanmar (Burma)
Target:Civilians
Date:15 April 2010
Time:3:00 pm[1]
Timezone:MMT
Type:Bombing
Fatalities:10[2]
Injuries:178[3]

The April 2010 Yangon Thingyan bombings were bomb blasts that had killed 10 people and injured 178 on 15 April 2010, in Yangon, Myanmar (Burma) during the Thingyan Water Festival.

Background

Bombings inside or in the vicinity of Yangon have occurred on numerous occasions in the past. In April 2006, five bombs detonated in the centre of the city, no casualties were reported. In September 2008, a bomb exploded outside the Yangon City Hall killing 7 people and injured several others.

Bombings

On 15 April 2010, three separate blasts occurred in front of the X2O water festival pavilion allegedly sponsored by Than Shwe's grandson[4] near to Kandawgyi Lake, where hundreds of people were celebrating Water Festival.[5] [6]

Investigations

Police Chief Khin Yi said that three members of Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors were responsible for the bomb blasts.[6]

Phyo Wai Aung, an engineer, was charged with alleged involvement in bombing was sentenced to death in May 2012. He pleaded innocent to the charges and said he was tortured during interrogations. He was released under a presidential pardon in August 2012 and died of liver cancer in January 2013.[2] [7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 5TH LD: Bomb blasts kill 8, injure 94 in Myanmar's Yangon. - Free Online Library . Thefreelibrary.com . 19 April 2010 . 1 February 2014.
  2. Web site: Man Accused of Thingyan Bombing Dies at Home | The Irrawaddy Magazine . Irrawaddy.org . 4 January 2013. 1 February 2014.
  3. Web site: Casualties rise to 178 in Myanmar water festival bomb blasts . https://web.archive.org/web/20110501164647/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-04/16/c_13254087.htm . dead . 1 May 2011 . News.xinhuanet.com . 1 February 2014.
  4. Web site: Untitled Document.
  5. Web site: Nine die in Rangoon bombings | DVB Multimedia Group . Dvb.no . 15 April 2010 . 1 February 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150216035119/http://www.dvb.no/news/nine-die-in-rangoon-bombings/8625 . 16 February 2015 . dead .
  6. Web site: Phyo Wai Aung's Family Searches for Truth over Bomb Blast in Thingyan 2010 video | democracy for burma . Democracyforburma.wordpress.com . 5 February 2013 . 1 February 2014.
  7. Web site: President pardons man convicted of Thingyan bombing . Mmtimes.com . 6 August 2012 . 1 February 2014.