Burma’s Lower House Issues Letter Bomb Warning

By Htet Naing Zaw 3 February 2017

NAYPYIDAW — Burma’s Lower House issued a warning on Thursday to be on the lookout for letter bombs.

Following the assassination on Sunday of U Ko Ni, the prominent National League for Democracy (NLD) legal advisor, the Lower House said that a heightened security posture was warranted.

“Given the current circumstances, we should be on high alert. This is what today’s warning is about. We must ensure the security of the Parliament because high-ranking officials and ministers are going in and out there,” explained U Ko Ko Naing, head of the Lower House information and public relations department.

The warning also explained the general composition of a letter bomb, how it looks, and how it works.

“There are many letters delivered to the parliament in different forms. So, through this warning, we want to raise awareness among Parliament staff,” U Ko Ko Naing told The Irrawaddy.

Dr. Hla Moe, secretary of the Lower House’s Rights Committee, has welcomed the tightened security, calling it a must for the highest authority of the country.

“Security measures were quite loose in the past in the Parliament. So it is only now that we are tightening security again,” Dr. Hla Moe told The Irrawaddy.

“Lawmakers are not subjected to a body search in our country, but even lawmakers have to undergo a body search when traveling internationally,” said Dr. Hla Moe.

The Presidential Residence in Naypyidaw is adjacent to the Parliament compound, so police have tightened the security in both locations.