Blast hits Myanmar year after deadly protests

Explosion injures 3 in Yangon on anniversary of junta's bloody crackdown

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updated 3:56 a.m. ET Sept. 25, 2008

YANGON, Myanmar - An explosion went off in Myanmar's main city Thursday amid tight security to mark the one-year anniversary of the junta's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters.

Three people appeared to have been lightly wounded by the morning blast near Yangon's City Hall, said witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity fearing reprisals from the junta.

The explosion occurred at a bus stop near City Hall, which was central to street protests led by Buddhist monks a year ago.

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Riot police poured into the area and sealed it off with yellow tape, adding to the already-tight security in place around the city since late August.

"The explosion shook my building and made a very loud noise," said Thein Myint, who owns a stationary shop about 100 yards from where the blast went off.

The junta, which has been in power since 1962, sparked global outrage last year when it showed it would kill its own people in order to maintain power.

At least 31 people were killed when troops fired on protesters Sept. 26-27, 2007, violently crushing the peaceful uprising against the military government. The anti-government protests were the biggest demonstrations in the country in 20 years.