With the aim of controlling the measures on maritime security and the rule of law in the area from the onshore to the specific economic zone along Myanmar coasts, protecting the national maritime interests, conducting the tasks of search and rescue in the seas, combatting the sea- crossing crimes, exchanging the information, enhancing the diplomatic relations linking with international coast guards and contributing to the Tatmadaw (Navy) in the wars, a ceremony to constitute the Myanmar Coast Guard and commission the coast guard vessels into service yesterday took place at No 3 Naval Jetty in Yangon.
Chairman of the State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing attended the ceremony and made a speech.
Officers and other ranks left four war vessels to be handed over by the Tatmadaw (Navy) and officers and other ranks from the Myanmar Coast Guard took the positions aboard the vessels.
The Chief of Staff (Navy) reported on the formation of the Myanmar Coast Guard. The commander of Ayeyawady Naval Region Command handed over the documents related to the vessels to the Director-General of the Coast Guard.
The acting Director-General of the Department of Marine Administration handed over documents related to the Coast Guard to the Director-General of the Coast Guard who presented flags of the guard to the Commander of the Coast Guard Flotilla. The Commander-in-Chief (Navy) presented scale model naval vessels to mark the handover ceremony to the Senior General.
The procedures of the commission were conducted as the order of formation for the Coast Guard and announcement for the vessels as the commissioned vessels of the coast guard by the Chief of Staff (Navy), hoisting of the State flag and the flag of the Coast Guard, beating the bell eight times and commissioning procedure.
The Senior General and party viewed the vessels handed over by the Tatmadaw (Navy) to the Coast Guard, used in the military operations, security and the rule of law measures, war vessel sea naval exercises and naval flotilla sea exercises in the Myanmar water.
The Senior General aboard the War Vessel (Mottama) took the salute of the Guard of Honour. Meanwhile, War Vessels (Yan Taing Aung) and (Yan Gyi Aung) saluted the Senior General with 21 fires of the gun.
Frigate Hsinbyushin, Corvette Tabinshwehti and Fast Attack Vessels led by Frigate Aung Zeya saluted the Senior General in the single line formation together with the arrowhead formation salute of three transport helicopters, one transport plane and two maritime reconnaissance planes as well as the Vic formation of three fighter planes.
The Senior General presented the honorary emblem and gifts to the officers and other ranks of the war vessels and military aircraft and the coast guard vessels to officials.
In his speech, the Senior General said that Myanmar’s sea strategically standing in the region full of living and non-living resources is an opportune entity for serving the State interests. The Coast Guard primarily focuses on the sea constabulary role and benign role. It should take responsibility for the protection of maritime interests, sea searching and rescue works, and environmental conservation at the sea.
Myanmar’s coastal line possesses more than 1,400 islands endowed with resources and economic opportunities. Myanmar’s coastal areas and water territory have sound foundations for operating marine and coastal tourism.
Moreover, the coast guard needs to take security measures for the sea lines of communication and deep-sea ports of Myanmar. The guard must arrest those who commit illegal fishing in the Myanmar Sea while protecting the Myanmar fishermen in their fishing works.
The coast guard was formed for the ocean-based economy called blue economy such as marine tourism maritime trade, deep-sea operations, offshore oil and natural gas production, and sea fishing, illegal trespass of others in Myanmar sea and rule of law in the sea.
The Tatmadaw (Navy) has rescued more than 4,000 persons from the sea from 2000 to 2021 and brought back more than 1,150 Myanmar citizens from Malaysia and India by war vessel. The coast guard needs to cooperate with the Tatmadaw (Navy) in doing so. The government formed the coast guard in line with the international rules and regulations for ensuring the peace and stability of the State and improvement of the economy, and development of the socio-economic status of the entire people. The theme of the guard was set as “Guard, Protect and Save Our Sea”.
The ceremony was also attended by media personnel from local news agencies, daily newspapers, local TV channels and local-based foreign news agencies. —MNA
