Jan 4, 2008 (DVB), Swan Arr Shin members in New Dagon and Hlaing Tharyar townships, Rangoon division, have been taking part in riot control training, while military deployments to Rangoon have increased, locals said.

A Dagon township resident said that Swan Arr Shin members in Ywar Thar Gyi, Lay Daunt Kan, Shan Tal Gyi, Yay Kyaw, Kyar Ni Kan, Kyi Su and Sit-pin villages were taking part in the training.

The resident said that local authorities were running the sessions covertly, and had been instructing the Swan Arr Shin members in the use of mêlée weapons and on how to make arrests.

"The riot control training is being given to local Swan Arr Shin members secretly during the night," the Dagon resident said.

"We have seen them being trained with sticks."

Meanwhile, a resident of Rangoon said that the number of soldiers deployed in the formal capital has increased, with more units from artillery and other technical divisions.

"Troops from battalions 66, 77 and 11 that were formerly stationed in Rangoon are now being replaced with soldiers from battalions 504, 503 and 533, which are part of the artillery division, and also with units from logistics and engineering divisions," said the Rangoon resident.

He added that these units were now responsible for security in Rangoon.

Reporting by Aye Nai