[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

KAWMOORA FALLS



Received: by pilot.physics.adelaide.edu.au (5.61+IDA+MU/UA-5.23)
	id AA05899; Thu, 23 Feb 1995 16:16:31 +1030

/* written Thu Feb 23 16:05:00 CST 1995 by uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx */
/* ------------------ KNU: Kawmoora falls ------------------------------ */


THE AUSTRALIAN, FEBRUARY 22, 1995.
----------------------------------

KAREN REBELS TO FIGHT ON DESPITE STRONGHOLD'S FALL

By Ron Corben in  Bangkok and AFP

THE Karen National Union vowed to continue the struggle against the 
Burmese junta and to adopt a strategy of ``mobile guerilla warfare'' 
after abandoning yesterday its last stronghold at Kawmoora on the 
Thai-Burmese border after a two month siege.

The announcement followed heavy shelling of the camp after Burma had 
moved about 3000 reinforcements into the area, at least doubling the 
number of junta troops against an estimated 1000 guerilla fighters at 
Kawmoora , a Thai border source said.

In a statement released late yesterday, the KNU said that to continue 
to defend Kawmoora, about 500km north-west of Bangkok, would have been 
``at high cost''.

Military analysts say the recent fall of Manerplaw -- the KNU stronghold 
of 21 years -- and now Kawmoora, is expected to again raise questions 
over the Karen leadership, presently headed by General Bo Mya. 

General Bo Mya has been accused of failing to address problems within 
the Karen fighting forces that led to a damaging split between the 
largely Buddhist lower ranks and that of the Christian leadership.

But the KNU, the political wing of the ethnic Karen people's almost 
five decade civil war with the military regime in Rangoon, said the 
abondanment of Kawmoora reflected a shift in strategy ``in fovour 
of mobile  guerilla warfare''.

``The withdrawl of the KNU from Kawmoora must therefore be seen not 
as a defeat but the next logical step in the reconstruction of the 
KNU, military as well as politically'', it said.

Sources at the Karen Refugee Centre at the Thai border town of Mae Sot 
told The Australian yesterday that the withdrawal from Kawmoora occurred 
in early hours of Tuesday.

Other border sources spoke of the use of ``chemical gas'' by the 
Burmese forces, believed to be tear gas.

The abondanment of Kawmoora is expected to result in a fresh wave of 
refugees into Thailand at the nearby Huay Kalok Karen refugee camp, 
which has a population of about 4000.

But in the statement the KNU reaffirmed it would ``continue to struggle, 
with its allies and all the opposition forces in Burma for peace, 
democracy and justice for all the people of Burma.''

The statement said that peace in the country would only come about 
``when the SLORC (State Law and Order Restoration Council) accepts 
that the political problems underlying the long civil war must be 
solved by political means''.

The KNU said it was still willing to engage in dialogue with the SLORC 
about achieving a ceasefire but insisted that ``genuine dialogue must 
include consideration of the necessary political settlement''.

Meanwhile, the Thai army on Monday fired several smoke shells into 
Burma after junta mortar rounds and anti-personnel shells landed on 
Thai soil, The Nation daily reported. Military authorities could not 
be reached for confirmation.

/* ENDREPORT */