The lowly seer

Army mutiny?

Check out the Newsdesk link:

Reports from Rangoon suggest soldiers are mutinying. It is unclear the numbers involved. Reports cite heavy shooting in the former Burmese capital.

The organisation Helfen ohne Grenzen (Help without Frontiers) is reporting that "Soldiers from LID (Light Infantry Divison) #66 have turned their weapons against other government troops and possibly police in North Okkalappa township in Rangoon and are defending the protesters. At present unsure how many soldiers involved."

Soldiers in Mandalay, where unrest has spread to as we reported this morning, are also reported to have refused orders to act against protesters.

Some reports claim that many soldiers remained in their barracks. More recent reports now maintain that soldiers from LID #99 now being sent there to confront them

and

Military sources in Rangoon are claiming that the regime's number two, General Maung Aye (right), has staged a coup against Than Shwe, and that his troops are now guarding Aung San Suu Kyi's home.

It must be galling for even the most hardened troops to be forced to attack monks, given their position of respect in Burmese society, and must cause a tremendous internal conflict for them. I hope their rebellion succeeds, if not the reprisals taken against them will probably be horrific.

posted by Les the Spaceman @ 3:44 pm