Burma bares its teeth

Khairul Alam

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Burma Sends Ground Troops to Bangladesh Border

Burma has sent ground troops to the western border area near Bangladesh after a maritime dispute started last week, said a resident from Sittwe.

He said, "Troops from Ann and Sittwe were sent to Paletwa and Buthidaung Townships in the last two days to wage a possible war with Bangladesh."

The two townships are located along the western border, opposite the Chittagong Hill Tract of Bangladesh, and are a strategic area for military positioning.

Most of the battalions from Sittwe have been sent to the western border area. "Now most police constables have been brought from rural areas of Sittwe for security because the army battalions left Sittwe for the border area," the resident said.

According to local sources, many soldiers have been deployed at strategic points along the Mayu Peninsula, located between the mouths of the Naff and Mayu Rivers near the disputed maritime territory.

Burma and Bangladesh have both deployed armed forces along the border. A local resident reported that the Burmese authority put a high alert out in northern Maungdaw near Bangladesh, and many Nasaka men are staying in the area in the ready position.

Bangladesh authorities have also deployed many Bangladesh Rifles personnel in the south of the Chittagong Hill Tract area. Bangladesh put out a red alert yesterday in the country after the BDR men were deployed to the border.

Many Bangladeshis in remote areas along the border are staying inside their homes, afraid to venture out for fear that war may break out.

A Sittwe resident also said, "Seven Burmese navy ships, including the largest, ship 774, have anchored in Sittwe port and many others have been deployed at sea."

The situation along the border is very tense as the number of security forces on both sides are increasing.

http://www.narinjara.com/details.asp?id=1963

In retrospect, Bangladesh has a longstanding dispute with Myanmar regarding its maritime boundaries. In the past, there have been several incidents of illegal intrusions and exploration activities by Myanmar in Bangladesh's maritime territory. After the caretaker government took power in Bangladesh, it tried to defuse the disputes with Myanmar and India regarding its maritime boundaries. Talks with Myanmar's military junta have yielded little. Rather, they made an even bolder intrusion this time using a number of warships.
 

Khairul Alam

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Myanmar removes rig from disputed waters: Bangladesh

DHAKA (AFP) — Myanmar removed a rig from a gas-rich stretch of the Bay of Bengal on Sunday after Bangladesh sent warships to protest against exploration in the disputed waters, Dhaka's foreign minister said.

Bangladesh deployed four ships and put its navy and armed forces on high alert after a South Korean company escorted by Myanmar ships began work in the area.

Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury told reporters that Myanmar was removing the exploration equipment.

"What I have heard from the ground is that Daewoo is slowly removing its rig. As I talk to you, it is leaving Bangladeshi territory," Chowdhury said.

"We hope that they will not conduct any further exploration in this area until we can demarcate our maritime boundary through talks," he added.

Bangladesh's armed forces issued a statement saying Myanmar had been forced to withdraw from the disputed waters.

"Navy personnel talked to the foreign technical crews who were involved in the drilling rig and made them understand our resolve," it said.

Bangladesh faces an acute energy shortage and has invited bids from foreign companies to explore gas reserves in its part of the Bay of Bengal.

Navy and army officials told AFP that Bangladesh had readied missile-laden boats and two elite army units as Myanmar boosted its troop presence along the 220-kilometre (170-mile) land border.

Officials of the two countries held talks in the new Myanmar capital Naypyidaw earlier this week but apparently failed to resolve the dispute.

Myanmar, which has discovered huge reserves of natural gas in the bay, insists its exploration work is legal.

More talks between the two nations are due to be held in Dhaka on November 16 and 17.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gNS0KBMRFLQrVudRkHuTyC_Z7CGQ
 

Khairul Alam

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Bangladesh Navy's response involved sending three warships initially; BNS Abu Bakr (ex-HMS Lynx, a Leopard class patrol frigate), BNS Nirvhoy, and BNS Modhumoti (both gunboats).

Later, BNS Osman (a Jianghu class frigate), which was recently fitted with the C-802 missile, was also readied and kept on standby. [For more on the C-802 addition to BNS Osman: http://www.defencetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=7755&highlight=Bangladesh]

The most powerful warship in BN's inventory BNS Khaleed Bin Al Waleed (a DW 2000-H frigate; from Daewoo, ironically the company exploring on Myanmar's side) was also put on alert after returning from its trip from Kuwait.
 
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Feanor

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Can you give us a quick rundown of Burmese and Bangladeshi forces that are likely to be involved if the conflict escalates?
 

Khairul Alam

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Can you give us a quick rundown of Burmese and Bangladeshi forces that are likely to be involved if the conflict escalates?
Well, i need to do some research on both countries' ORBAT. Hope to come up with some analysis in a few days. For the time being however, read this article from Democratic Voice of Burma.

Army watcher says Burma navy can't compete with Bangladesh's

Nov 13, 2008 (DVB)-A Burmese military analyst said Burma's navy could not compete with Bangladesh's if the two countries come to blow over ongoing maritime boundary dispute in the Gulf of Bengal.

U Htay Aung from research and documentation department of Thailand-based Network for Democracy and Development said the Burmese Navy's weaponry and tactical skills are no match for those of Bangladesh.

"The Burmese government only has a few warships bought from China that break down often even during military exercises," said U Htay Aung.

"Many Burmese naval ships in Heingyi Island base were also destroyed by Cyclone Nargis," he said.

"That can also be one of the reasons why the Burmese decided to back off in the sea."

The forces of Bangladesh and Burma have gathered in striking distance at sea and land in areas between the two countries in a warlike situation amid growing tension over a disputed stretch of sea.

Ko Kyaw Myint, a leader of All Arakan Students and Youths Congress, an activist group based in Bangladesh confirmed that both sides had stepped up security in the border areas.

"[The Burmese authorities] are not allowing any water vehicle, including rice and other trade cargos, enter their territory from Bangladesh," said Ko Kyaw Mynt
 

tarpiz

New Member
Myanmar Navy has 4 missile corvette(771,772,773,774) armed with C 801 and C 802. They also have 6 Houxin class missile FACs and 4 Myanmar class missile FACs all are equipped with C 802 and C 801. All corvettes and Missile FACs are far more advanced than bulk of BN's ships. Although some small gun boats were sink in the cyclone, all major vessles remain intact. I realized that so called military analystsU Htay Aung and Ko Kyaw Myint know nothing about Myanmar Navy. Myanmar Navy has just 16 chinese ships(10 Hinan and 6 Houxin) but they have locally built 1 frigate, 4 corvettes, 6 missile FACs and 8 FACs. With those ships Myanmar Navy is no longer a inferior navy. The only reason they decided to back off in the region is to avoid unnecessary military conflict before the general elections due to held in 2010.
 

tarpiz

New Member
Myanmar beefed up security along the border. Myanmar Navy has 4 missile corvette(771,772,773,774) armed with C 801 and C 802. They also have 6 Houxin class missile FACs and 4 Myanmar class missile FACs all are equipped with C 802 and C 801. All corvettes and Missile FACs are far more advanced than bulk of BN's ships. Although some small gun boats were sink in the cyclone, all major vessles remain intact. I realized that so called military analystsU Htay Aung and Ko Kyaw Myint know nothing about Myanmar Navy. Myanmar Navy has just 16 chinese ships(10 Hinan and 6 Houxin) but they have locally built 1 frigate, 4 corvettes, 6 missile FACs and 8 FACs. With those ships Myanmar Navy is no longer a inferior navy. The only reason they decided to back off in the region is to avoid unnecessary military conflict before the general elections due to held in 2010.
 
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