European Union officials who giving training in crowd control to members of the Myanmar Police Force are instructing them how to avoid violent confrontations, one of the participants told Mizzima on November 12.
“The EU officials are instructing us, in theory and practice, how to settle confrontations with the public without resorting to violence as there are many ways to wisely resolve conflict situations,” said Sub Police Major Kaung Myat Naing.
He is one of about 200 police officers participating in a training course at Myanmar Police Battalion (8) in Hmawbi township north of Yangon under a 10 million euro (US$13.5 million) program launched by the EU on November 5.
Another course participant, Police Major Thet Lwin, told Mizzima that the crowd control methods being taught by the EU officials were “indulgent and flexible”.
Police Major Tun Lin admitted that the Myanmar Police Force was still weak in following rules and regulations in encounters with the public.
“Our police forces have weaknesses in controlling crowds and they also need training in communicating with the public,” Police Major Tun Lin said.
All police officers, supervisors and staff will be required to attend the training, which will also be conducted in Naypyitaw.
As well as crowd control, the courses also include such topics as human and citizens’ rights and mass communications.
The EU is providing the training following a request made by President Thein Sein in the aftermath of a brutal crackdown on a peaceful protest at the Lattpadaung copper mine in November 2012 in which some
of the most serious injuries were suffered by monks.
The request followed a recommendation into an independent commission appointed by the government to investigate the crackdown.
The commission, chaired by Daw Aung San SuuKyi, found that excessive force had been used against the protesters and recommended that police receive crowd control training.
