Karen-SLORC talks (r)

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/* Written  4:55 pm  Apr  7, 1994 by tun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:bitl.seasia */
/* ---------- "Karen-SLORC talks" ---------- */
DATE=4/5/94
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-156250
TITLE=BURMA / REBEL TALKS / L
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=BANGKOK

INTRO:  REPORTS IN THAILAND SAY LONG-ANTICIPATED PEACE TALKS
BETWEEN ETHNIC KAREN REBELS IN BURMA AND THE RANGOON MILITARY
GOVERNMENT WERE TO HAVE BEGUN, TUESDAY.  V-O-A'S DAN ROBINSON
REPORTS THE KARENS DECIDED EARLIER THIS YEAR TO HOLD PEACE TALKS
WITH RANGOON LEADERS:

TEXT:  THE REPORTS -- QUOTING UNIDENTIFIED THAI MILITARY
OFFICIALS AND OTHER SOURCES ALONG THE BORDER -- SAY THE TALKS
WERE TO BE HELD IN A SMALL TOWN (MYABADAI) IN KAREN STATE.

AS OF TUESDAY AFTERNOON, THERE HAD BEEN NO MENTION OF THE TALKS
BY MILITARY-CONTROLLED BURMESE RADIO OR TELEVISION.  KAREN REBEL
SOURCES IN BANGKOK WERE UNAVAILABLE FOR COMMENT.

HOWEVER, NEWS REPORTS FROM THE TOWN OF MAE SOT -- ALONG THE
THAI-BURMA BORDER -- QUOTE SOURCES AS SAYING THE POWERFUL FIRST
SECRETARY OF BURMA'S RULING MILITARY GOVERNMENT, LIEUTENANT
GENERAL KHIN NYUNT, WOULD HEAD A DELEGATION IN TALKS WITH THE
KAREN.

SINCE 1988 -- WHEN BURMA'S MILITARY VIOLENTLY CRUSHED A
PRO-DEMOCRACY UPRISING -- A NUMBER OF ETHNIC REBEL GROUPS HAVE
WORKED OUT CEASEFIRE AGREEMENTS WITH RANGOON.

EARLIER THIS YEAR, THE KACHIN INDEPENDENCE ORGANIZATION -- WHICH,
WITH THE KARENS, FORMED THE BACKBONE OF A DEMOCRATIC RESISTANCE
ALLIANCE -- FINALIZED A PEACE PACT WITH THE JUNTA.

AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, THE KAREN NATIONAL UNION (K-N-U) -- UNDER
INCREASING PRESSURE FROM THAILAND -- BEGAN QUIET CONTACTS.

IN JANUARY, KAREN LEADER GENERAL BO MYA SAID HIS GROUP WOULD
BEGIN FORMAL UNILATERAL TALKS.  HOWEVER, HE VOWED NOT TO ABANDON
ALLIES IN THE DEMOCRATIC ALLIANCE OF BURMA.

AFTER 1988, THE KAREN HEADQUARTERS AT MANERPLAW -- NEAR THE THAI
BORDER -- BECAME A REFUGE FOR DISSIDENT STUDENTS AND POLITICIANS
WHO FLED TO THE JUNGLE.

REPRESENTATIVES OF PRO-DEMOCRACY STUDENT GROUPS VOWED TO CONTINUE
THEIR FIGHT.  RECENT REPORTS SAID AS MANY AS TWO THOUSAND
STUDENTS, WHO TOOK UP ARMS REMAIN, IN KAREN AREAS.

            // REST OPTIONAL //

IN JANUARY, KAREN SOLDIERS WERE REPORTED TO HAVE CONFISCATED
WEAPONS FROM STUDENT FIGHTERS AND BRIEFLY DETAINED ONE STUDENT
LEADER DESCRIBED AS BEING OPPOSED TO UNILATERAL TALKS WITH
RANGOON.  (SIGNED)