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BurmaNet News: February 26, 1995



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************************** BurmaNet **************************
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: Sunday, February 26, 1995
Issue #116

QUOTE OF THE DAY:

               He asked, "Do you know who planted the mine before
               we passed along the road?"  I said I didn't know,
               but the Colonel didn't believe me so he kicked me
               in the ribs with his big boots.  It hurt very
               much, but he wouldn't stop kicking me.  Finally I
               lost consciousness for about 20 minutes.  When I
               woke up, I could feel that one of my ribs was
               broken.  The Colonel said, "Why don't you know
               about it?", and he kicked me again so I       
               fell unconscious again.

                    "Hla Kyaw," a Karen refugee.  <See KHRG:
                    MYAWADDY-KAWKAREIK AREA REPORTS (1 of 2)>.
                    The Colonel referred to is Lt.C. Than Zaw,
                    who featured in BurmaNet #113 "REMEMBER
                    IMET?".


++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Contents:                                                     

************************INSIDE BURMA************************** 
FEER: BORDER BUSHFIRES
MNA/SLORC: MYANMAR, JAPAN SIGNED MOU
TAWSJ: BURMA SEEKS FOREIGN INVESTORS FOR STATE FIRMS

*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
KHRG: MYAWADDY-KAWKAREIK AREA REPORTS (1 of 2)
BURMANET: LETTER--"YOU HAVE PROVED SO MUCH FOR US." 
FEER: LOSS AND EXILE
NLM/SLORC: MEMBERS OF DKBA RESETTLE FAMILIES OF KAYIN NATIONALS
NLM/SLORC: WHAT CAUSED NGA MYA TO RUN? 
MNA/SLORC: KAWMURA WAS CAPTURED BY DKBA
BKK POST: RANGOON HANDED PROTEST LETTER
BKK POST: THAILAND WON'T BE A SPRINGBOARD FOR KNU
BKK POST: BUDDHIST KAREN FLAGS FLY AFTER SLORC KAWMOORA VICTORY

***********************SHAN STATE******************************
SEASIA-L:  SHAN STATE ASSOCIATION

*********************KACHIN STATE***************************** 
MNA/SLORC: OSS-101 WAR VETERANS OF US

************************THAILAND****************************** 
NATION:   TOP BURMESE OFFICIAL ISSUES APOLOGY FOR 'BURDEN' OF
          OFFENSIVE 
BKK POST: JUNTA LEADER TO INSPECT THAI ARMY

*******************THE WESTERN BORDER************************* 
NATION: BANGLADESH AND BURMA RESUME DIRECT AIR LINKS

********************INTERNATIONAL***************************** 
BKK POST: GERMAN ENVOY TO PUSH FOR MORE DEMOCRATIC BURMA
BKK POST: BONN ENVOY WANTS OPEN BURMA


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**************************************************************
*************THE BURMANET NEWS--FEBRUARY 26, 1995*************
************************************************************** 
************************INSIDE BURMA************************** 
FEER: BORDER BUSHFIRES
Far Eastern Economic Review
Febuary 16, 1995


By Michael Vatikiotis in Mandalay

Nearly 40 years ago, J.S. Furnivall, a former British civil
servant reflection on the country's development under colonial
rule, wrote: "Burma was thrown ope to the world but the world
was not thrown open to Burmans."

You don't want to walk far in Mandalay, 610 kilometers north
of Rangoon, to hear muchthe same viewpoint expressed today.
"All the best oppotunities here are for non-Burmese," says
Rambu, a university-educated trishaw driver whose name was
given to him by foreign tourists. "Iused to be in business but
the competition from outsiders coming from the North was
to great."

Since an initial agreement was signed on August 6, 1988,
opening official cross-border trade, Burma has become Chian's
chief foreign market for cheap consumer goods. Informal
estimates put the two-way trade, little of which is reflected
in Cross-border trade is estimated at $800 million annually,
about 40% of Burma's total trade.

Apart from trade and investment opportunities, Asean believes
limited ties with Rangoon will be more effective in
encouraging democracy in Burma than isolation. So far, Asean's
policy of constructive dialogue with Burma has yielded more on
the business than the political front.

Singapore is Burma's leading trading partner after China;
bilateral trade now totals $370-400 million a year.
Singapore's investment in 23 projects totalled $293.3 million
as of October. Thailand and the U.S. followed with investment
of $234.6 million nad $203.2 million, respectively.

"There are some [Singaporean] businessmen who say they have
made more money here than in Singapore," says Ho Chin Beng,
chief representative of Development Bank of Singapore in
Rangoon.

But other countries are coming as well. Last year Hong Kong-
based Kerry Securities launched the $30 million Myanmar Fund,
Burma's first year coyntry fund. Its first investment: a 5.5%
stake in the Traders Yangon Hotel, operated by the Shangri-La
group. Like the securities house, Shangri-La is controlles by
media and commodities king Robert Kuok.

South Korean conglomerates are also active in Burma. Daewoo,
for instance, has  sunk about $6 million in garment, timber
and electronics projects. Meanwhile, 14 foreign companies have
taken part in oil-official statistics, at some $800 million
annually - equivalent to about 40% of Burma's official trade
worldwide.

Once the preserve of smuggled goods from Thailand, Mandalay's
shops are now filled with Chinese inflatable plastic toys,
portable electric fans, clothing, towels and housedhold goods.
Indeed, Chinese goods are beginning to eclipse Thai goods,
whose sales have fallen by about 30% in the last two years, in
Mandalay's shops.

But among ethnic Burmese, the influx of ethnic Chinese traders
is causing more anger than joy. "We are becoming a second
China," complains a shopkeeper, whose shelves are bursting
with Chinese-made consumer products. Although business is
good, he adds, the bulk of profits are made by Chinese
merchants.

To make matters worse, rumours about the ease with which
Chinese traders can buy real estate and even Burmese
citizenship and identity cards in mandalay are stoking ethnic
tensions.

"We're overwhelmed," grumbles a and gas-exploration projects
since1992. Although most pulled out after no findings, at
least five remain active.

Japanese companies are also scouting for deals. A high-level
mission of the Keidanren, Japan's leading big-business group,
visited Rangoonlast June and a Japan-Burma business
association is in the offing. "The Japanese are cautious but
rather systematically laying the ground-work for expanded
investment and  trade," says Mark Mason, an economist at Yale
University.

But it's likely to be slow going. "Japanese companies won't
really invest in Burma until Burma is eligible for Japanese
overseas aid," says a Japanese diplomat in Rangoon. before
1988, Japan's annual aid to Burma totalled Yen500 billion ($5
billion). This year Tokyo provide only Yen21 million in the
from of humanitarian assiatance.

Much of the regional investment is concentrated in realestate,
hotel and trading operations that don't require large long-
term capital commitments. But there are signs that more
substantial investment is in the wings.

Singapore's Asian Pacific Breweries is exretired school
teacher. "The Chinese are traded as a favoured group. They get
permits to do almost anything and can even carry guns in
Mandalay."

But it's not just perceptions of favouritism and jealousy
about the commercial success of the ethnic Chinese that have
some Burmese worried. In Mandalay, situated on the edge of
Burma's ethnically diverse supper regions and at a natural
trade crossroads between China and India, the spectre of
ethnic tention is exacerbated by concerns about China's
strategic interests in Burma.

Indeed, China's policies toward the Southeast Asian nation
have undergone a change since the 1970s, when Beijing
supported communist and other anti-government rebels along the
burmese border. A shift towards greater economic cooperation
came in the mid-1980s and accelerated as other countries cut
off weapons supplies and economic aid to protese the military
tregime's crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators in 1988.
India, in particular, is looking on with alarm. New Delhi
believes China is seeking direct access through Burma to the
Bay of Bengal. In an apparent move pected to sign an agreement
with military-backed myanmar Economic Holdings to invest $29
million in a new brewery to make Tiger beer. Moreover, a
consortium led by singapore's Straits Steamship land, which
already has invested some %80 million in hotel projects, also
plans to invest in a 364-square-kilometre industrial zone on
the outskirts of Rangoon.

Singapore is also helping revamp Burma's airline and hotel
sector - both prioroties in hte government push into tourism
ahead of Visit Burma year in 1996. Singapore'sHighsonic
Enterprise is even operating a domesit airline service in a
$10 million joint venture with Myanmar Airlines.

Singapore's government is actively endorsing investment in
Burma, just as it is in India and China. "The government to
matchChina's growing commercial influence, India is promoting
its own cross-border trade, which is currently estimated at
$150-200 million annually - all of it technically illicit.
According to a Rangoon-based India diplomat, border trade with
Burma is expected to be formalized by early March.

Rangoon calims trade and aid from China have brought wealth to
Burma's border regions and dismisses allegations of racial
tension. "The Chinese entrepreneurs blend in very well with
the community, especially with the local Chinese," insists the
Economic Planning and Development minister, Brig-Gen David
Abel.

In fact, not all of the people who are benefiting from the
booming northern economy are Chinese nationals. Many are
ethnic Chinese from the Kokang area close to Chana as well as
ethnic Wa. Both groups have spent decades battling Rangoon,
although relations have improved  recently. Insurgency drove
them into business in turnprovide huge sums of each - some of
which is now going into Mandalay 's property market.

************************INSIDE BURMA************************** 
MNA/SLORC: MYANMAR, JAPAN SIGNED MOU
Posted by bbatpt@xxxxxxxx

Myanmar , Japan sign MoU
        Yangon, 21 Feb - Officials of the Ministry of National
Planning and Economic Development of Myanmar and Sumitomo
Corporation of Japan, signed Memorandum of Underst for
cooperation in trade and investment at Myanma Investment
Commission Office this afternoon.
        Minister for National Planning and Economic Development
Brig-Gen Abel and Chairman Mr Tadashi Itoh of Sumitomo
Corporation signed the agreed notes.
        Other officials of the two sides were also present. 
(Myanmar News  Agency)

************************INSIDE BURMA************************** 
TAWSJ: BURMA SEEKS FOREIGN INVESTORS FOR STATE FIRMS
23 February 1995

The Burmese government is seeking foreign investors to help
privatize 51 state-owned enterprises in various sectors, Thai
newspapers reported.
Burma's ambassador to Thailand, Tin Winn, said a privatization
committee was set up last month to give initial approval to
investment proposals, the newspapers reported Wednesday.
"The foreign investors joining the program will be exempted from
machinery import tariffs and can fully remit their prof- its back
to their home countries," the Nation quoted the am- bassador as
saying.
The Burmese government has earmarked 51 enterprises in energy,
food, apparel and other sectors for privatization. Mr. Tin Winn
said total foreign investment in Burma as of January was about
$2.38 billion and included 119 projects. (TAWSJ)

*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
KHRG: MYAWADDY-KAWKAREIK AREA REPORTS (1 of 2)
An Independent Report by the Karen Human Rights Group
January 15, 1995     /     KHRG #95-03

The following testimonies and information have been gathered by
our human rights monitors from civilian villagers in the area
between Myawaddy, opposite the Thai border town of Mae Sot, and
Kawkareik, about 40 km. to the west in Karen State.  Some of the
people interviewed are now in refugee camps in Thailand.  The
Myawaddy-Kawkareik road, though not much more than a dirt track
in many places, is a key SLORC transport route between Moulmein
and the Thai border.  A new cross-border bridge between Myawaddy
and Mae Sot, to be part of the "Asia Highway", is now being built
as a joint venture between the Thai Government and SLORC.  It is
called the "Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge".  On the Thai side of
the border, it has already caused the destruction of a market
(with little or no compensation) and threats to forcibly move
Huay Kalok Karen refugee camp, home to over 5,000 refugees.  On
the Burma side of the border, the bridge seems to be an
underlying cause of a SLORC clampdown in the area, including
forced relocation, torture and increased harassment of villagers,
due to SLORC's paranoia that the bridge will be sabotaged.  As a
villager points out in this report, the bridge is also being used
as an excuse for SLORC troops to extort several hundred thousand
Kyat out of every village in the area, supposedly for bridge
construction - despite the fact that the Thai Government has
already agreed to pay the entire cost of the bridge itself, an
estimated US$3.2 million.

Some villagers refer to 'Article 144' and martial law being
applied in villages which are being forced to relocate.  Article
144 is a curfew order, and when applied in conjunction with
Martial Law it means curfew violators can be shot on sight,
arrested, etc. at the disgression of the local military
officer(s).  Many villages have both Karen and Burmese names: in
this report, the Burmese call Noh Po village 'Outer Kwin Kalay',
and they call Tee Muh Hta village 'Inner Kwin Kalay'.  Names
which have been changed to protect people, including all names of
interviewees, are shown in quotation marks.  All other names are
real.  Some details have been omitted from stories to protect
people.  In the testimonies, SLORC soldiers sometimes mention
'Ringworm' and 'Kaw Thoo Lei' - they use both terms to mean
'Karen soldier'.  'KNU' is short for Karen National Union, the
Karen government.  All numeric dates are written in dd-mm-yy
format.  Please feel free to use this report in any way which may
help the peoples of Burma, but do not forward it to any SLORC
representatives.

TOPIC SUMMARY:  Torture (Stories #1,3,5,6,7,8,9,10,12,13),
Torture of elderly (#1,13), Torture for 'being Karen' (#3,15),
Abuse of women (#1), Detention (#1,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,12,13), 'Dark
cell' detention (#1,4), Execution (#15), Threats/coercion (#1,2),
Forced relocation (#1,2,3,14,15), Shelling villages (#2,3,14),
Destruction of religious buildings/schools (#3), Curfew order
(#2,14), Myawaddy bridge (#2,3), Forced labour (#1,3,11), Looting
(#3), Extortion (#3,15), Abuse of monk (#14), 'Compensation' to
Army (#3,15), Deserters (#10,11), Fleeing villages
(#2,3,4,5,12,13), Post-abuse medical/psychological trauma
(#1,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,12,13).
_________________________________________________________________
#1.

NAME:     "Daw Hla" SEX: F         AGE: 56   Karen farmer,
village headwoman ADDRESS:    xxxx village, Kawkareik Township
FAMILY:   Married, 5 or 6 children

On September 8th, I went to Myawaddy together with "Daw Thein",
who is headwoman of yyyy village.  We went to vouch for two
villagers who went shopping there, M---, age 30, and her daughter
D---, who is 11.  They are shopkeepers in the village, and they
bought batteries in Myawaddy to sell in the shop.  They were
accused of buying batteries for insurgents, so they were
arrested.  After meeting with the 2 women in the lockup, I was
going to go back to my village but "Daw Thein" and I were put on
a truck and sent to the Strategic Commander.  When we got there
he said, "Why didn't you move to the new site yet?" [the village
had been ordered to relocate]  I said that there were many
children and old people in our village and that they cannot move
easily.  Then they took me to another commander named Captain
N---.  When I met him, he said that he would have to kill me.  I
didn't care about his threats - I just said "You can kill me
then!"  He asked me many questions and accused our village of
supporting insurgents.  After that, they put us on a truck and
sent us to the lockup.  When they ordered us into the cell, I
finally had to accept it, but "Daw Thein" absolutely refused and
cried loudly, so they pushed her inside.  She didn't stop crying,
so one Sergeant threatened her by pointing his gun at her. 
We had to stay in the lockup for 3 days.  On the 4th day, we were
taken out and separated from each other.  I was blindfolded and
then taken to the dark room.  On the way, they pushed me and I
fell down and hurt my ankle - even now, it still hurts.  When I
got into the dark room, they removed the cloth from my face.  The
dark room was about 10 feet square, with one chair and one table
inside.  I had to urinate and defecate inside the room, so it
stank.  There was no clean air and no light, so I couldn't tell
day from night.  I only saw the light when they brought some food
wrapped in a leaf.  I had to eat my food in the dark.  I just
slept on the floor, there was no mat and no blanket.  Two weeks
later they took me out again with a blindfold, and I was
interrogated by 2 women.  During the first interrogation, they
rolled my hair around the barrel of a G3 gun [assault rifle] and
pulled it so that it ripped out some of my hair.  After the
interrogation they put me back inside the dark room.  Altogether
I was in the dark room for one month and one day.  After such a
long time in the dark, I became very depressed, weak and anxious. 
On October 13th, I was taken out blindfolded.  I was so weak that
I couldn't walk - they had to support me.  After walking some
distance, I was put on a truck.  When it started moving I felt
dizzy, so they had to support me.  I'm not sure how far the truck
went.  Suddenly I noticed that it had stopped, and they removed
the blindfold from my face.  After so long in the dark, suddenly
I saw light.  I couldn't see anything at first, but after a while
I could see my friend "Daw Thein" near me.  When we saw each
other, we felt sad and we felt happy, and we embraced each other. 
We looked out of the truck together and we realized we were at
T--- village.  We could see the villagers.  Then Captain N---
said to the villagers, "We looked after 'Daw Hla' and 'Daw Thein'
very well and we didn't treat them badly".  Then he turned to me
and said, "Isn't that so?" in front of the villagers.  I couldn't
say no in front of him, so I said, "Yes."  That's the only thing
I could say.  Then the Captain forced me to sign a bond
consisting of 5 parts [see following translation of the bond].  I
had to sign it, otherwise he wouldn't release me.  After I was
released, all the villagers were delighted.  I took some medical
treatment in our village because I couldn't walk well.  Even now,
I can't walk well.  I always feel dizzyness and my eyes still
suffer because I was so long in the dark.  I always feel tense
and I have nightmares.  Sometimes I feel like I'm mad.

[Another villager added:  By the time they were freed we all
thought they must be dead.  "Daw Thein" is 30, and has 5
children.  "Daw Hla" is about 60 and has a husband and 5 or 6
children.  After they put "Daw Hla" in jail, the Burmese went up
to her village and saw her daughter there so they poked her with
a knife and said, "Where's your mother gone?"  They already knew
her mother was in jail.  They poked her slowly several times with
the knife.  Her daughter said "My mother's gone to jail.  You
arrested her, you know it all already", and then the soldiers
didn't say any more and let her daughter go.  They just use their
brains to think up ways to make trouble for people.]

Translation of the typed bond she was forced to sign
(see copy of the original attached to the end of this report) 
BOND AND GUARANTEE TO SIGN

1)  I, "Daw Hla" (xxxx village), headwoman and I, "Daw Thein"
(yyyy village) headwoman, we two agree and guarantee to comply
with the following points in the presence of the village headman
[headman of the village where they were released]:

a)   Villagers from xxxx village will combine and stay with the
villagers of yyyy village.  We will take responsibility that they
will not remain or return to stay in xxxx village.
b)   Regional departments such as Township LORC / Village LORC,
etc. will take responsibility proportionately to send labourers /
carts etc. according to the numbers, places and times specified.
c)   We will inform the nearby troops / post and #3 Strategic
Group (base) of news about Karen terrorist insurgents every day
without fail.
d)   Around yyyy village, we will take responsibility for any
artillery shelling or landmines laid against N--- area troops by
Karen terrorist insurgents.
e)   We will take responsibility to always clear the bush on the
left and right sides of the car road within the area specified
for yyyy village.

2)  We guarantee and sign to verify that we know that if we do
not comply, violent action will be taken.

Signature:     [Sd.]                         Signature:     [Sd.]
Name:          "Daw Thein"                   Name:          "Daw
Hla"           Chairperson                             
Chairperson         xxxx village                            yyyy
village Date:       __-10-94                 Date:          
__-10-94 
             Stamp:
      No. 3 Strategic Group (base)           Place:         zzzz
village                      (zzzz village)                 
Date:          __-10-94 Military Supervisory Department

[Notes:  As the village headwoman is called the Village LORC
chairperson, item 'b)' basically means that the villagers must
send labourers, carts, etc. exactly as ordered by the army. Item
'd)' means the village will be attacked or villagers will be
executed if Karen troops attack SLORC.  Item 'e)' forces them to
keep clear a 'killing ground' along the road to protect SLORC
troops from ambush.]
_________________________________________________________________
#2.
One of our human rights monitors wrote the following report from
the Myawaddy-Kawkareik area:

With regard to human rights abuses in Kawkareik Township, at Noh
Po, Meh Kaneh and Tee Muh Hta villages:  On 10 September 1994, a
column comprised of troops from SLORC Battalions #355, 356 and
357 commanded by Captain Myint Yi shelled Noh Po village with a
big gun, firing 4 shells.  One shell hit Saw Yit's house.  The
commander of #3 Strategic Command, Second Lt. Col. Than Zaw, gave
the command to destroy Noh Po village.  He commanded that if
there was any fighting around Noh Po village, the village must be
totally destroyed by burning it down and killing any villagers
who remain.  No fighting has occurred since then, but most of the
villagers have fled.  The SLORC then issued an order imposing
martial law and Article 144 on Noh Po and Tee Muh Hta villages. 
Villagers were informed to leave Noh Po between 15 September and
7 November, and after that anyone seen would be shot dead.  They
were ordered to move to Tee Muh Hta, but instead they have fled
into the hills, deserting the village and their homes.

On 7 October 1994 the people of Meh Kaneh village were also
ordered to leave their village and go to stay along the motor
road.  However, the villagers have given the Strategic Commander
120,000 Kyat and requested him to allow them to stay.  It appears
that the SLORC may be determined to destroy these villages in
order to protect the "Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge" linking
Myawaddy to Mae Sot, now under construction, from any possibility
of sabotage.
_________________________________________________________________
#3.
1)  NAME: "U Than Mya"        SEX: M    AGE: 42   Karen Buddhist
farmer ADDRESS:     Meh Kaneh village, Kawkareik Township - now a
refugee in Thailand
FAMILY:   Married, 3 children aged 9 months, 9 and 12 years  2) 
NAME: "Saw Lah Mu"        SEX: M    AGE: 29   Karen Christian
farmer ADDRESS:     Meh Kaneh village, Kawkareik Township - now a
refugee in Thailand
FAMILY:   Married, 2 children aged 9 months and 5 years

3)  NAME: "Saw Ko Thay"  SEX: M    AGE: 55   Karen Christian
farmer ADDRESS:     Meh Kaneh village, Kawkareik Township - now a
refugee in Thailand
FAMILY:   Married, 6 children aged 4 to 20

4)  NAME: "Maung Thein"  SEX: M    AGE: 30   Karen Christian
farmer ADDRESS:     Meh Kaneh village, Kawkareik Township - now a
refugee in Thailand
FAMILY:   Married, 1 child aged 2

U Than Mya:  I was a headman for many years, but I was only the
SLORC headman [the SLORC chooses a person to be "village
chairman", usually against his or her will and often different
than the real village head - the SLORC village head is held
responsible for delivering porters, money, etc. and is usually
tortured for any failure to deliver].  Even though I was the
SLORC headman, they never believed me very much.  They tortured
me, and I ran away a month ago [in late November/94].  First I
was arrested by SLORC and tortured, and then when I ran away I
was arrested again by Thai police.  Then the refugee camp people
came and freed me and took me to the camp.

On September 27th the Burmese soldiers came to Meh Kaneh.  It was
Myint Yi, the company commander from 357 Battalion.  Now he's
been moved to Thay Baw Boe at the Thai border.  They asked
questions but they didn't believe me, so they accused me of being
dishonest and of behaving as a Karen, and they said I had contact
with rebels and accused me of killing children.  They captured me
and tied me with a rope around my ankles, and they hung me upside
down from a log.  After half an hour, their rope broke and I fell
to the ground.  I still have pain from that, and I can't turn my
head.  Then they tied me again, tied my hands as well, and hung
me upside down from the log again.  They tied me up at 6 in the
evening, and hung me there until 6 in the morning.  I couldn't
sleep at all the whole night because of the pain from the rope. 
The soldiers beat me in the shins with a gun barrel and punched
me.  I didn't pass out, but I still have aching pain in my chest
and shoulders.  They also arrested 7 other Meh Kaneh villagers at
the same time as me, 8 of us altogether, and beat them all the
same as me, and they captured 35 women and children and forced
them to stay under the houses [Karen houses are raised above the
ground].  They arrested Na Tway, "Pa Ngeh", "Saw Nyo", Saw Tha
Wah, Teacher Aye Thaung, and 2 others [see stories #4 & #5]. 
These seven men were tied to trees standing up, one man to each
tree.  The soldiers punched and beat them.


They didn't ask questions, they just said, "You're Kaw Thoo Lei
[Karen soldiers]".  We said, "We're not", and then they beat us. 
They said, "When our enemies come do you hide them in your
village?"  We said, "No, we don't do that", and they beat us. 
While they held us they also arrested one woman from the village. 
They stole her necklace and her money, and they took her food and
everything she had in her house.  She sells things in the market,
so she had some money and gold.  They kept her tied up to a tree
for about an hour, then they told her to go and buy them some
wine.  Her name is Naw W--, she's about 45 and she has about 8
children.  Then in the morning they released us all except one
man.  They suspected him, so they took him and put him in jail
for 10 days.  They put him in a dark room of concrete and said if
he ran away they'd kill him.  They just gave him a little bit of
food to last the whole day, and if it ran out there was no way he
could ask for more.  After 10 days some people went and secretly
freed him, and he ran away.  Now he's here with us as a refugee. 
His name is "Pa Ngeh" [see story #4].  He's 35, and he has 1
child.  He wasn't a Karen soldier, they just arrested him by
mistake.  Ever since 2 of their men died in August they have been
capturing and torturing people, making trouble for the village
heads and others. 

After we were released I stayed in the village, but then the
soldiers started sending me letters every day, 2 or 3 letters
every day, again and again, from the Township LORC office.  I
didn't dare go to see them, so I didn't dare stay in the village
anymore.  But not only that - I also came here because they
forced us to give money: 300, 500, 1000, 2000 Kyats, until we
couldn't give it anymore and we fled.  Everyone had to pay.  They
forced us to pay 3 times a month, some households 500 each time,
some households 1,500.  You have to give it, or you can't stay
there.  The Burmese beg by force.  They also force us to send
other things, like bullock carts to carry their things.  We have
to go with our carts by turns, twice a month.  If we can't go we
have to pay 1,000 or 1,500 Kyat.  We also have to pay for porter
fees [just a name given for cash extorted from villagers], 1,500
Kyat.  And we have to make roads, and collect gravel to make the
roads.  The main roads.  Everything is for the Burmese.  We have
to work on the roads 10 days every month, sometimes 15 days, and
they don't give us a single pya! [1 Kyat = 100 pya]  We have to
pay them instead.  We have to give it.  We have to buy our own
food, and moreover we have to give them money.  They force us to
work very hard, and then whatever the cost of everything we've
eaten, we have to pay it to the SLORC officer at the camp.  We
have to sleep along the road.  It's the Myawaddy - Kawkareik car
road, around Ah Bo Der and Aleh Bo Der.  They never finish
constructing that road, because of the rains and because people
often destroy [sabotage] it.

Saw Lah Mu:  The SLORC also forced every village to give 300,000
to 400,000 Kyat for the new bridge at Myawaddy [the Thai-SLORC
"Friendship Bridge"].  I don't know what the money's for, they
didn't say.  They just said every village has to give them the
money.  It is a must.  You must give it without fail.  If you
can't give the money then they will bully and abuse you very
gravely and seriously.  If the village can't give that money,
then that village can't continue in peace.  They'll come to the
village to beat and crush people.  We must give it.  Our village
already paid it, and now they are still forcing people to give
more money. 

We're very poor and we have to work hand to mouth, so we can't
always give the money.  If we can't pay then the soldiers go to
the village head and demand forced labour instead, for example as
porters.  They pressure the villagers in various ways so that the
villagers can't avoid getting the money somehow and giving  it to
them.  In this way they squeeze money out of everyone.  Whatever
they want to do, we have to do it for them.  Then when they come,
they eat all our pigs, chickens, etc.  Sometimes they disgrace
the women in the village.  Three or four months ago they built a
school, and they forced the villagers to give 100,000 Kyat for
this school.  If we couldn't give it - we just had to give it. 
If you had a chicken or a pig, you had to sell it to get that
money.  We had to try hard.  Even though we gave them as much
money as we could, the SLORC wasn't satisfied with us.  They said
we are "Ringworm" [derogatory SLORC name for Karen
opposition] and they bullied us when they came again.  They
frightened us and said, "You can't stay here anymore, you have to
leave the village."  They ordered us to move to the road, between
Thingan Nyi Naung and Myawaddy.  We didn't want to leave so we
tried to find a way to stay.  The village head tried to collect
money from the villagers, 5,000 Kyat from the poorest families
and 50,000 Kyat from the richer families.  Then all this money
was given to SLORC so we wouldn't have to move.  But then after
they finished eating up that money, they came back again and said
"You'll have to move".  So the villagers have to pay them again,
and then when they've spent that they'll come back and say "You
have to move", and so on.

The villagers have to take responsibility for the car road
between Thingan Nyi Naung and Myawaddy, and if the road is
destroyed or sabotaged then we're responsible to reconstruct it. 
It's a must; we have to whether we can or not.  This road has
been destroyed many times, and we've had to give compensation
many times, at least 3 times a year.  They collect money from the
families according to how much the family owns, 50, 100, or 150
Kyat per household.  Whenever a SLORC soldier is killed, the
villagers have to pay the army compensation money for his life. 
They also make us go and build barracks for their soldiers, and
when we're building the barracks we have to stay there and sleep
there, and they abuse us.  This goes on the whole year at Hla
Ngwe, below Thingan Nyi Naung.  It's their Battalion camp.  The
Battalion commander and operations commanders stay there.  We
have to level the ground to build buildings, villagers from Meh
Kaneh, May Po, and Tee Muh Hta.  We have to work the whole day
without getting any food, we have to pull up tree stumps, and
sometimes they kick us.  They have some tractors and machines but
they don't use them there, they only use human labour.  The
villagers get tired and try to rest, but the soldiers say "Keep
working, don't rest", and kick them.

In September they sent a letter ordering Noh Po village to move. 
After they sent it the villagers didn't move, so they fired at
the village with a big gun.  Then they sent a letter ordering us
to move too.

Saw Ko Thay:  The order didn't say what day or what month we had
to move, it just said "You must move.  If you don't move, we
won't let you stay."  After we didn't move they sent another
order saying "If you don't move, you must tear down 3 buildings:
your church, your [Buddhist] temple and your school."  The
village elders went to see them to discuss it, but the officers
said, "We don't want to hear any gunshots.  If we don't hear any
gunshots near the road or around Meh Kaneh village, then you can
stay.  If we hear a single gunshot, you must move."  Since then
there have been no gunshots, not a sound.

Saw Lah Mu:  They ordered Meh Kaneh to move to one of two places,
either the main road or Tee Muh Hta.  SLORC has a garrison at Tee
Muh Hta.  They've already arranged a place for us to move to -
they forced the Tee Muh Hta villagers to clear it, but none of
the villagers have moved there yet.  Noh Po village was also 
ordered to move to Tee Muh Hta.  The SLORC always sends the same
orders to all 3 villages, Meh Kaneh, Noh Po and Tee Muh Hta,
whether it's forcing us to move or demanding money or labour.  In
Noh Po and Tee Muh Hta they always demand money from the
villagers.  The Noh Po villagers have to run away many more times
than us.  The Burmese soldiers went and fired the big guns
[probably mortars] at their village.  SLORC has ordered the
village to relocate.  They ordered the villagers to tear down
their church, their monastery and their school, and said if the
villagers didn't do it then the soldiers would come and tear the
buildings down themselves, arrest all the villagers and put them
in jail.  SLORC did the same to Noh Po Tee Hta village.  That's
why they can't bear it and they run away.  The Noh Po villagers
have gone up into the mountains or into the forest.  They have
nothing, they've just run away with none of their things.  Some
people with alot of land still stay there, but they stay very
quietly and if they hear that the Burmese are coming they run
away again.  Now there are only about 20 families in Noh Po. 
There used to be more than 200 households.  All of them have run
to the forest, or some have gone to Tee Muh Hta like they were
ordered.  The monks in their monastery have already fled.  The
SLORC also arrested Tee Muh Hta villagers, punched them, beat
them and tortured them until their bones broke, covered their
faces and then forced them to go along with the soldiers to all
the villages.  Some of the Tee Muh Hta villagers have run away
into the forest and some are still there.

Meh Kaneh had 170 households.  About 30 families have already
fled, and 130 or 140 are still there.  12 or 15 families came to
the Thai border, some went into Burma [the plains to the west],
and some fled into the forest and the hills, and some didn't flee
because they couldn't.  The villagers who are too poor to keep
paying money to SLORC have left.

U Than Mya:  Some people can stay because they own alot of
cattle, buffalos, or coconut plantations so they can pay SLORC
what they ask.  People like that are not willing to leave their
farms and animals behind, so they try to pay what SLORC asks. 
But most people have nothing, no cattle or big farms or coconuts,
so they have to flee.

Saw Ko Thay:  Those who have gone to the forest have to make
their fields around their hut.  They have to cut the forest to
make a farm.  Those who have gone to Tee Muh Hta as they were
ordered, they have to build their huts on the ground and then
work for SLORC as they're ordered.  They have to carry water for
the soldiers.  They can't do anything, they don't even have food
to eat.  They have to take care of each other.  That's why nobody
wants to stay there.  The villagers from Noh Po go back to their
village sometimes to get food - it's only one hour's walk from
Tee Muh Hta.  Then if the SLORC sees them there, they call them,
arrest them, beat them and torture them.  If the soldiers on
patrol see villagers who have gone outside the area where they're
supposed to stay, they torture them.  They also shoot at them
sometimes, but not to kill.  They tortured Pa Oo for that.  He's
28, and now he's here as a refugee.  [Pa Oo was on his way to his
field with other villagers when he was met by soldiers,
interrogated, tied up and beaten, then left behind.  Other
villagers found him there at 10 p.m. under the full moon on Oct.
19/94, took him to his village and then to Thailand for
treatment.]

Maung Thein:  We don't dare go back to stay in the village,
because if they hear any gunshot near the road or the village
they'll arrest all the villagers, even though we don't know
anything about the gunshots.  We can't promise them there won't
be gunshots, because the Burmese are our enemies and our people
are fighting for freedom, so if Karen people have to shoot at
them then they  will.  We can't promise that they won't.

Saw Ko Thay:  In Meh Kaneh, if SLORC orders them to move all of a
sudden then people might not be able to escape, so they're
fleeing now, before it happens.  I don't know about the others,
but as for me, I'll never go back as long as the Karen and
Burmese fighting isn't over.  It's a long way back to our
village, and we have to be afraid of the SLORC soldiers along the
way.  They torture us, they force us to work for them, we're
afraid of everything they do.  They demand 300, 500, 300 Kyat,
again and again and again until we don't even have money to buy
food.  If we have a cow, a chicken, a pig, we have to sell it
just to give money to SLORC.  It will never get better.  The
future will probably be even worse than now.
_________________________________________________________________
#4.
NAME:     "Pa Ngeh"      SEX: M    AGE: 37   Karen farmer
ADDRESS:  Meh Kaneh village, Kawkareik Township - now a refugee
in Thailand
FAMILY:   Married, 1 child

On 27/9/94 at about 2 p.m., soldiers came into the village and
arrested 9 villagers, including me.  They tied our wrists behind
our backs and tied us to trees.  I was interrogated by the
soldiers through the night, and they beat me up 3 or 4 times
during the interrogation.  The next morning, they untied me,
pointed their guns at me and took me away.  When we got to the
car road, we took a truck to Thingan Nyi Naung, where No. 3
military post of 357 Battalion is located.  When we got there,
they tied my hands behind my back again and blindfolded me with a
piece of cloth.  They took me to a dark room, then they untied my
hands and took the cloth from my eyes.  I couldn't see anything
in that room.  There was no hole for light or air.  I felt like I
was suffocating, and I could only breathe through the narrow
cracks around the door.  The room was 8 feet square and had only
one door.  I was kept in that room for 10 days, and I only got
one bottle of water during that time.  I got 2 meals a day, at 11
a.m. and 6:30 p.m., just a little bit of rice on a leaf and some
clear bean soup.  I never saw light except when they opened the
door to bring the rice.  They brought it, and then they closed
the door again. 

I had to sleep on the floor.  I had no mat and no blanket.  I had
to sleep, eat and defecate on the same floor.  There was always a
horrible smell in that room, and I always felt like I was
suffocating - there was no air.  I couldn't tell day from night. 
When they took me out for interrogation, I was blindfolded.  They
interrogated me many times.  While I was in the dark room, I
heard the cries of a woman.  After 10 days, I was taken outside
again and they threatened to kill me.  They took me outside their
post and untied the rope from my hands, and then they allowed me
to run away.  That's how I escaped.

It was very hard for me to get back to my village because my foot
was in pain.  Even though I got back to the village I couldn't
sleep well - I always wanted to hide.  Since then, I always feel
frightened and I always feel tense and unhealthy.  Every evening
when the darkness is coming down I feel anxious.
_________________________________________________________________
#5.
NAME:     "Saw Nyo"      SEX: M    AGE: 33   Karen Buddhist
farmer ADDRESS:     Meh Kaneh village, Kawkareik Township - now
living in hiding in the forest

I was at the monastery when Captain Myint Yi and his troops came
into the village.  Suddenly I heard gunshots, so I ran down from
the monastery.  Before I came into the village, I saw some
villagers running here and there to escape the gunshots.  As soon
as I got into the village, I was captured and tied with rope. 
Soldiers interrogated me about whether I had contact with
insurgents, and I told them I didn't know anything.  That's why I
was punched in the face 5 times by Lieutenant San Myint.  He
punched my right cheek twice and my left cheek 3 times.  After
that I was tied to a tree with my hands behind my back, and they
left me in that position all night.  The next morning, they
untied me and took me along to their camp at Deh Oo.  On the way,
I was forced to carry one of their military backpacks.  then I
was released.  Now I don't dare sleep in the village anymore. 
I'm always hiding. 

_________________________________________________________________
#6.
NAME:     "Hla Kyaw"     SEX: M         AGE: 48   Karen Buddhist
farmer ADDRESS:     xxxx village, Kawkareik Township

On September 12, M--- and I went to our farms at 7 a.m.  Later
while we were clearing the ground at the farm, soldiers from
Light Infantry Battalion 357 led by Captain Myint Yi suddenly
appeared and surrounded us.  They tied us up.  I pleaded with
them not to tie both my hands because one of my forearms is
disabled, but they didn't care.  I was taken away with my hands
tied behind my back.  On the way I saw 4 other people who were
also tied up.  The Captain said, "Don't worry.  We'll just take
you to our Colonel and then you'll be released."  When we got to
the Colonel [probably the commander of #3 Strategic Command,
Second Lt. Col. Than Zaw], who was in the jungle about 1 mile
from my village, he started interrogating me.  He told me that I
had to answer all his questions, and he made many kinds of
threats.  I said I'd tell him whatever I knew.  He asked, "Do you
know who planted the mine before we passed along the road?"  I
said I didn't know, but the Colonel didn't believe me so he
kicked me in the ribs with his big boots.  It hurt very much, but
he wouldn't stop kicking me.  Finally I lost consciousness for
about 20 minutes.  When I woke up, I could feel that one of my
ribs was broken.  The Colonel said, "Why don't you know about
it?", and he kicked me again so I fell unconscious again.  When I
came around again, the Colonel repeated the same question: "Why
don't you know?  You must know about it."  Finally I was in such
pain and I was so frightened that I told him, "Yes, I know." 
Then the Colonel asked "Where is your home?"  I replied, "My home
is not here.  I only come here sometimes."  But the Colonel
didn't believe me, so he hit my head with his rifle butt.  I felt
dizzy.  He said, "You keep trying to lie!", and he kicked me in
the chin with his big boots.  Later, a Captain interrupted him. 
For all their long interrogation, they never found out anything. 
Then they took me back towards the village.  Before we got there,
they tied me up to a tree.  They took my sarong and blindfolded
me with it and they said "Don't look!  Don't shout!  After we've
gone from here, if you can untie yourself you will be released." 
The Captain ordered the soldiers to prepare their guns to kill
me.  I was very frightened, and I felt that dying was the only
way out for me.  But then they left me there and continued on
their way to Thingan Nyi Naung village.

Later I was lucky, because some villagers came by on their way
back from the SLORC soldiers.  The soldiers had taken them as
guides.  The villagers untied me and freed me.  I tried to stand
up, but I couldn't.  The villagers had to support me to get me
back to the village.  Right up till now I'm still suffering from
my broken rib, and I'm still on medical treatment.  I cannot work
at present.  Whenever I hear that the SLORC troops are coming to
our village, I always go to hide.

*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
FEER: LOSS AND EXILE
February 16 1995
Manerplaw's fall could end Karen rebellion

By Bertil Lintner in Bangkok

In 1974, Karen rebels established a camp on the banks of the Moei
river, which forms the border between Thailand and
eastern Burma. Called Manerplaw, or Field of Victory, the new
settlement was sheltered on all sides by steep, rugged
mountains. It seemed virtually impregnable, and became the
headquarters of the Karen Nation Union, one of Burma's
strongest ethnic-rebel armies.

Today, 21 years later, Manerplaw lies in ashes. Karen rebels
burned the camp on January 26 before withdrawing into the
mountains or fleeing into Thailand. Burmese Government forces now
control the area, and the future of the Karen insurrection in
Burma has become most uncertain.

For Burma's ethnic-rebel movement, the fall of Manerplaw,
which came after a week-long battle with thousands of troops from
the Burmese army's 33rd, 44th and 66th Light Infantry Divisions,
has been the severest blow in years. "The time of big rebel bases
along the Thai-Burmese border seems to be over," says a military
analist in Bangkok. "The Karen rebel movement may survive this
loss, but they can only live on as a mobile, hit-and-run gurilla
force."

Thailand's outgoing Foreign Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said his
country "would not allow hot pursuit into Thai territory" by
Rangoon forces chasing Karen fighters. Nonetheless, the fall of
Manerplaw has raised questions about Thailand's policy of
"constructive engagement" with Rangoon. Thaksin, however, said
the ruling generals in Rangoon told the Thais that they would
"allow the minorities to join the draft of the new
constitution to allow autonomy of each group. So those who
joined, they have a peaceful dialogue. The Karen did not join."

According to his information, said Thaksin, the conflict "was a
fight between Buddhist Karen and Christian Karen...
On the Thai side, we are not involved." However, the foreign
minister did say that the Thais "provide all kinds of
humanitarian support for those who fled into Thai territory. Now
we receive 5,600 Karen, both civilians and soldiers. We have to
disarm the soldiers. We care for the wounded and take them to
hospital, and when the area is safe we have to push them back. We
can not keep them here."

The events that led up to the fall of Manerplaw began three years
ago. In earlier 1992, the Burmese army launched a
massive assault on the camp, using more than 10,000 troops. That
attack failed, mainly becauses of the army's outdated tactics and
lack of familiarity with the area.

After that attempt, the Burmese army appeared to have changed
tactics. A unilateral ceasefire was declared. Military sources
say Rangoon's forces then concentrated their efforts on
consolidating the forward positions that were captured in 1992
and familiarizing themselves with the terrain, all the while
looking for opportunities to weaken the Karen fighters.
"The first two tasks were not difficult to accomplish, and the
third objective presented itself when some Buddhist rank-and-
file soldiers ofthe Karen army mutinied againt the
predominantly Christian leadership last December," said the
military analyst in Bangkok. Although numbering only a few
hundred, the mutineers were able to guide the Burmese army
through secret trails into Karen redoubt.

The Burmese army is now expected to hand over Manerplaw to the
break-away Karen faction, the democratic Karen Buddhist Army.
This group will most likely be afforded the same status as other
ethnic rebel armies that have made peace with the junta and will
probably represent the Karens in the National
Convention in Rangoon.

By capturing Manerplaw, the ruling junta has accomplished much
more than just delivering a severe below to the Karen rebel
movement. The fall has also affected the rest of the anti-
Rangoon movement. Manerplaw was the main base for several
umbrella organizations comprising various ethnic rebel armies in
Burma as well as pro-democracy activists from Rangoon and other
cities in the Burmese heartland, all of whom had sought refuge
there following military crackdowns. Now, that platform is gone,
and the entire Burmese political opposition will be in
exile.(FEER FEBRUARY 16 1995)


*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
BURMANET: LETTER--"YOU HAVE PROVED SO MUCH FOR US." 
BurmaNet received and forwarded the following letter for the
Karen troops who were then in Kawmoora.


                                        February 19, 1995

     Dear General Taw La and beloved Karen National Liberation    
 Army at Kawmoora 


        Thank you so much for the sacrifice for Karen people with
your blood and energy. I am very proud to be a Karen. You have
proved so much for us. It is a sad thing the SLORC tried to wipe
out the Karen people and forced them to flee their homeland to
unwelcome neighboring country.
         Not only my deep heart felt sympathy goes to you but
also my family prayer will always be with you even though we have
not seen one another. Your sacrifice will not be in vain. We will
always remember you the rest of our lives. We will also pray for
the SLORC that they wi light and open other avenue for lasting
peace.
        May god be with you always and protect you.

        With lasting love
        From xxxxxxx,  USA

*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
NLM/SLORC: MEMBERS OF DKBA RESETTLE FAMILIES OF KAYIN NATIONALS 
The New Light of Myanmar 
24 February 1995 

Members of Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA) under the
Democratic Buddhist Organization (DKBO) attacked and captured
Manerplaw, the central headquarters of KNU armed group led by Bo
Mya on 27 January 1995 and Kawmura (a) New Wakha, the last
stronghold of KNU armed group on 21 February 1995.

 After the fall of those camps, peace and security restored in
Kayin State. Kayin nationals from the so-called refugee camps
under the control of Bo Mya in the other country returned to
Myainggyingu area group by group. 

 A total of 8,210 persons including 3,540 males and 4,670 females
of 1,450 households arrived back till 23 February.



 Officials and members of DKBA are resettling them and
distributing food. --- MNA





*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
NLM/SLORC: WHAT CAUSED NGA MYA TO RUN? 
---Maung Pho Hmat 

The New Light of Myanmar Newspaper    
24 February 1995 



 Myanmar is a country that is striving by all available means to
become a peaceful, developed and modern nation. At the same time,
the National Convention attended by representatives of all
national groups and all classes and masses of the people, is
deliberating on fundamental principles for a new State
constitution that will build up a new State of genuine democracy. 
 Efforts are being exerted from all angles to transform the
country into a developed country. It is achieving remarkable
progress in practising a market economy for national economic
development. Had we been able unitedly to engage in such
development measures without impediments and obstacles beginning
with 1948 when we regained our independence, Myanmar would now
have become a country admired by many.

 Armed insurgent organisations that came into being even during
the period of our life and death struggle for Independence
proliferated immediately after independence. And it is due to
these insurgencies that the country had fallen fifty years behind
time.

 Insurgent organisations are found to have been motivated by a
lust for political power or spurred by racist problems or
misguided by alien incitements. The imperialist who ruled over
Myanmar for about a hundred years had implemented

 their divide and rule policy even at a stage when it had been
forced to grant independence. It was only the farsightedness of
our national leaders that had brought about the Panglong
Conference, the Panglong Agreement and the Panglong Spirit. The
Tatmadaw captured dead a British army officer,

 Capt Vivian, who supplied weapons for the assassination of
Bogyoke Aung San and other martyred leaders in a battle in
Htawkoko area in the northern part of Kawkareik.

 KNU leader Saw Ba U Gyi was also captured dead along with
Captain Vivian.

 Imperialists pushed some Kayin nationals into insurgency by
incion racial considerations and religious

 considerations. As is common knowledge, political and military
persons, mercenary military advisers and diplomatic personnel of
western nations have been visiting the insurgency camp
(particularly Manerplaw) of the KNU, erstwhile KNDO. In

 December 1994, Elina, wife of US Naval Attache, Colonel Terry
Hanson, of Bangkok, was visiting at Nga Mya's Manerplaw Camp. In
1988-89 US Congressmen came to Manerplaw to encourage Nga Mya.
Political, military and diplomatic personnel  from the Western
Bloc have been coming in to Manerplaw  without let or hindrance.
Promising them money and other material help they had manipulated
the KNU to be  armed insurgents. The KMT Nationalist Chinese who
had been chased out of China were kept along the Myanma border by
the US CIA for provocative attacks against China.

Only recently, a Canadian named Calvin Hefner, a former
US Military Attache Robert Halvey and Gene Sharp on
mischievous missions.
     [NOTE: "Calvin Hefner" above is presumably Kevin
     Heppner of the Karen Human Rights Group---BurmaNet]


In Myanmar, throughout all ages, national races had
lived in unity and fraternity. They invariably joined hands to
fight against enemies in case of a national emergency. In anti-
imperialist fights between 1885 and 1900, national peoples shed
their blood together in unity. National peoples were united
throughout the period of anti-imperialist struggle and the
anti-fascist resistance period. After regaining independence they
built up the country together in  unity. They had erected a
pillar of National Unity through weal or woe, prosperity or
poverty.

 National development, however, remained retarded because of
multi-coloured insurgencies. Peoples' lives and property were
lost. Areas overshadowed by insurgencies suffered from
lack of agriculture, of productive activities, of lack of
constructive endeavours, of lack of public health and
educational facilities. They lost their kinsmen as a result of
insurgencies. Dwellings had been turned into ashes. There was no
progress whatsoever and everything was just the  reverse. Armed
organisations in the jungles who realised all these miseries and
who also realised the sincerity of the State gradually came back
into legal fold and began to engage in regional development work
and in Union consolidation programmes. To date 13 groups have
seen peace.

 The peoples of areas where insurgencies ceased to
 be shone clear and bright as a moon that had come
 out of a eclipse. They are merrily taking part in development of
the whole nation through development of their individual regions.
These are the true benefits of peace and of
 national reconciliation.

 Kayin peoples from Kayin State, national peoples living
widespread all over the country are now united with
Union nationals and kinsmen born in other lands under lights
radiated by law and by the sincerity of the State. Kayin
nationals serving in important departments in the civil
and military branches of the State, other Kayin intellectuals and
intelligentsia, Kayins serving in all other departments, factory
workers and mill workers, and Kayin traders and merchants are
working for the welfare of the entire nation. All Kayin nationals
have realised Nga Mya KNU's activities. He kills, he burns
villages down, he sows land mines,  he extorts tributes. Nga Mya
KNU's top leadership are rolling in wealth while Kayin nationals
living on the border have lost their whole lives.

 The KNU, therefore, does not represent Kayins
living peacefully in Kayin State and elsewhere.
The KNU cannot even represent Kayins living under
its heels their areas. Kayin nationals living
in the border region, in other words, under the shadow of
Manerplaw, have been suffering under the persecution of
Nga Mya. When he was in dire straits Nga Mya drove
those Kayin nationals living on the border into the

 had fled from Myanmar government persecution and secured
international aid. The lion's share of aid went into
 Nga Mya's pockets. He therefore frequently created
 panic and drove Kayin nationals into the oth

 as refugees. And Nga Mya had been using these
 rts
  receiving due attention in Myanmar

 Chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration Council
Commander- in-Chief of the Defence Services Senior General Than
Shwe exhorts idpendence insurgency occurred and although there
was  peace and tranquility in the country proper, the
turmoil remained in the border areas in the remote
and far-flung regions and so it became difficult to take measures
for bringing development to the national races. Therefore, tasks
for improving their transport and communication links could not
be undertaken. It was also impossible to teach them for
developing their knowledge.  Development lag

 Although the regions in the country proper gaine
 considerable development as situations permitted,
 the border areas lagged behind in all aspects including
 knowledge and therefore it is necessary to make efforts
 so that the border areas will catch up quickly with the
 country proper in development. With this conviction,
 when the State Law and Order Restoration Council assumed the
responsibilities of the Stagan taking steps
to bring peace and tranquility to these regions. If there is no
peace, then nothing can be done. In taking measures to bring
peace, it is not the same in our era as those of the other eras
as the pattern was changed and we had to  make a lot of
concessions to gain peace. As steps were  taken thus there are
today 13 groups which have reached complete understanding with us
and are working together with us. There are only a few groups
left.

 It is now in a position that if they return to the
 legal fold willingly with the correct attitude and
 goodwill we will always welcome them. Only when all the
 national races live in amity and unity and in friendly
 and harmonious relations, will our Union become a developed
country.

 That is why steps were taken first to bring peace
 and tranquility to the country. Due to this there is
 now considerable peace and tranquility in the country.
 Although very few regions remain, it is believed that
 these few regions will soon become peaceful. These regions did
not develop as there were disturbances, insurgency and
instability.

  New ministry

 Hence, a new ministry was formed and assigned duties as ry for
Progress of Border Areas and National
 Races and Development Affairs. Due to the formation of such a
ministry and border area development tasks carried out, the
development of border areas is gaining high momentum today. In
about five more years the situation will be quite good. It is
assumed that in about 10 years the difference between the border
areas and the rege country proper will be narrowed down to quite
an extent. In taking measures for bringing about development to
these border areas you all should work with goodwill for your own
national races to achieve development.

 In making a country develop basic knowledge is a dire need.
Therefore, if there is a desire to develop the entire region, the
most important thing is to make efforts to increasse the
knowledge of the people in the region.

 In making efforts to increase the knowledge, you all as teachers
must impart knowledge. Therefore, I would like
 to urge you, in whichever regions you go, to make
 sacrifices in all aspects, with the firm conviction
 and goodwill to toil hard in all spheres and make
 efforts to bring progress and development to the
 national races.

 Another thing is that by making efforts to narrow down the
difference between all the national races in the Union, it
amounts to implementing the tasks related to Our Three Main
National Causes. The first point --- non-disintegration of the
Union --- means having complete understanding of one another,
loving one another and to be equal and fair as far as possible.
To be fair and equal means to have equal knowledge, equal economy
and equal social status. Only when there is equality in all
aspects will our Union remain non-disintegrated and firm and
consolidated perpetually. Therefore, you all are to make the
entire public in the border areas know and

 understand the tasks of the Government and educate them to
cooperate and participate in the tasks. If the ministries
concerned assist in gradually creating a situation of equality
and fairness through economic, social and other undertak it will
amount to making efforts for non-disintegration of the Union
which is the first and foremost point of

 Our Three Main National Causes.

 The second point if for non-disintegration of national
solidarity. For the perpetuity of the Union it is necessary to
have national unity. For national unity to exist efforts must be
made aimed at having equality and fairness as far as possible.
Today we are taking measures for such equality to exist. As far
as possible measures are being taken to help bring

 development to their regions by making use of the natural
resources which they have in their regions. Constant efforts are
being made for equality to exist in social as well as in
education and health spheres. This is being done to forge
national unity and for non-disintegration of the Union.

 The third point --- perpetuity of sovereignty is based on
non-disintegration of national solidarity. If national unity does
not exist then the Union will disintegrate. National sovereignty
will also be lost. Hence, these points cannot be separated and
are complementary to one another and are interrelated.

 As all the ministries at the central are making concerted
efforts in implementing them, it is also necessary on

 the part of the people to conscientiously cooperate and take
part in them. Only when concerted efforts are made thus will our
aim of turning the country into a peaceful, prosperous anational
will be realized. The tasks we are carrying out today is for the
country to become peaceful, prosperous and modern and to enable
everyone to live in affluence.

 For national sovereignty to exist and for the State to become
peaceful, prosperous and developed, it is directly linked to the
Constitution of State which will emerge in our country in the
future. For emergence of an enduring Constitution, it is
necessary that it must be accepted by all the Union nationals. It
is necessary for all to work together with broad-mindedness for
the emergence of a new constitution. Another thing is that food,
clothing and shelter needs are the most important fundamental
requirements of people.  Basic human rights

It is regarded that food, clothing and shelter needs are the most
basic human rights for mankind to survive. It can be said that
once the basic human rights of the people are met there is no
difficulty to fulfil other human rights.

 It is necessary for all of you to understand that the task being
carried out by the State Law and Order Restoration Council, the
programmes, goodwill and measures taken are based on these
points. After understanding thus, it is necessary for all of you
to try to disseminate the knowledge of the  tasks and goodwill of
the State Law and Order restoration at the schools and regions. I
now conclude by urging all of you to cooperate in border area
development tasks and make efforts to develop your own areas and
regions. ---MNA

*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
MNA/SLORC: KAWMURA WAS CAPTURED BY DKBA
Posted by bbatpt@xxxxxxxx

DKBA captures Kawmura, the last KNU stronghold
        Yangon , 21 Feb- Kawmura, the last stronghold of Bo Mya's
KNU armed group , was captured by Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army
(DKBA) after an assault which began on 8 February.
        The stronghold, also known as New Wakha, became the last
heavily fortified KNU armed camp on Myanmar-Thai border after the
fall of Manerplaw, the KNU HQ, on 27 January into the hands of
DKBA, an army formed under the Democratic Kayin Buddhist
Organization (DKBO).
         Situated about 10 miles north of Myawady in Kayin State,
along the border , it has only one access point from Myanmar
side. Moei or Thaungyin River flows round between the
horse-shoe-shaped camp and the other country.
        Eleven layers of barbed wire entanglements fenced the
entrance of the access point and three layers of trenches were
dug around the camp, which was defended by ten two-storey
concrete bunkers with seven soldiers in each and many other
bunkers fortified with teak logs.
        Htaw Hla, with rank of colonel, and his 800 men of KNU No
101 Battalion, were dug-in at the last KNU camp before it was
overrun by the DKBA .
        KNU armed group members led by Bo Mya fled to the other
country after they were defeated by  DKBA in the battle in which
both sides suffered loss and injury.(Myanmar News Agency)

*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
BKK POST: RANGOON HANDED PROTEST LETTER
23 February 1995

The authorities in Mae Sot District, Tak Province have written to
the Foreign Ministry in Rangoon to protest about shelling by
Burmese forces across the border in Thailand.
The letter, signed by Direk Yaemngamrib, chairman of the local
Burmese-Thai Border Committee, pointed out that the shelling
violates Thai sovereignty and damages public and private prop-
erty.
Col Direk wrote the Thais felt that the fighting could have ended
when Rangoon troops seized the last stronghold of the karen
National Union at Kawmoora camp on  Tuesday morning. But in the
afternoon of the same day Burmese troops kept shel- ling heavily
into Thai territory with about 180 rounds of
heavy weapons.
Some of the shell landed on a paramilitary ranger company's
position and set it ablaze, causing damage to shelters. Mnay
other rounds landed at the health station of Huay Kalok vil- lage
and elsewhere, causing damage to farmland belonging to Thai
villagers.
The letter said that the shelling reflected the Rangoon
troops' intention to violate Thai sovereignty despite
Thailand's warning with smoke and illuminating rounds.
It called on Rangoon to take responsibility for actions taken by
the Burmese troops and damage caused by them.
The letter also said Thailand considers the ongoing fighting
between Burmese soldiers and KNU rebels as Burma's internal
affair and has never interfered, but there have still been
violations of Thai sovereignty.
Should the Burmese forces continue with the violation, Burma
would be regarded as interfering in Thailand's internal
affairs, it said.
The letter added that all Thai authorities adhere to the
Government's policy of regarding Burma as a neighbouring
country of long-cherished link.
As for the accommodations provided for Karen people who fled into
Thailand for refugee, Thailand is performing its duty on a
humanitarian basis.
They will be sent back into Burma through a safe channel when the
situation inside Burma returns to normal, the letter said. (BP)

*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
BKK POST: THAILAND WON'T BE A SPRINGBOARD FOR KNU
23 February 1995

Thailand will not let Karen National Union  rebels use its border
areas as a base to stockpile weapons and build up
forces to continue their struggle for autonomy against the
Burmese government after the fall of kawmoora camp, Sookmark said
yesterday.
Gen Vijit conceded his ministry was worried about the possible
spread of guerrilla warfare along the Thai-Burmese border and
insisted Thailand would not tolerate the use of its soil as a
staging area by karen rebels.
He said the Government would also have to make the Burmese
government understand that Thailand did not and would not
support military operation by KNU guerrillas.
Thai soldiers have disarmed Karen forces fleeing Burmese
troops into Thailand area. The Government, meanwhile, has
repeatedly announced it would not interfere in Burma internal
affairs.
Gen Vijit said Thailand has provided only humanitarian
assistance to Karen rebels who crossed into its territory to
escape attacks by Burmese soldiers.
In fact, he said only a small faction had crossed the border into
Thailand after the fall of kawmoora base.
The majority of karen soldiers have reportedly move to a new
stronghold in an area inside Burma controled by the KNU to
prepare for another found of fighting with Burmese troops,
according to the Defence Minister.
Gen Vijit confirmed clashes between Karen and Burmese forces
occurred outside Thai territory and that there had not been any
incident which would lead to a confrontation between Thai and
Burmese troops.
The Third Army Region has also been safeguarding border areas
straddling  Burma.
Gen Vijit said has not yet received official reports about
allegations that Burma had used chemical weapons against the
karen guerrillas. However, according to information he has
obtained so far, the chemicals allegedly used may be tear gas, he
said.
As for his order for the Royal Thai Navy to postpone its pro-
curement of two submarines pending budget problems, Gen Vijit
said whether the subs would finally be purchased or not de-
pended on changes in the situation and threats to national
security in the future.
Gen Vijit, however, said Thailand's national security policy has 
focused on protecting the country and establishing frien dly
relations with neighbouring countries, not on taking an offensive
stand.
He concede that stockpiling weapons by a country could affect the
"feelings" of its neighbours. (BP)

*****************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI*********************** 
BKK POST: BUDDHIST KAREN FLAGS FLY AFTER SLORC KAWMOORA VICTORY
23 February 1995

The Burmese Army yesterday jubilantly expressed its victory over
the fall of the last major Karen guerrilla stronghold at Kawmoora
but did not hoist its own flag above the camp.
Instead two yellow flags of a rival Buddhist Karen breakaway
faction could be seen.

The raising of these two banners, with the white Buddhist
emblem of Dhammachakara in the centre, suprised neither the
embattled Karen National Union (KNU) leaders, who were outsed
from Kawmoora, nor Thai border authorities here who predict that
the Burmese junta will claim the capture of the KNU 101st special
military unit base was the work of the breakaway
Democratic Kayin Buddhist Organization (DKBO).

The Burmese junta, known as the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (Slorc), in late December also claimed that
the former KNU headquarters at Manerplaw had fallen to the DKBO,
despite the fact that the attacks were carried out by Burmese
forces with full Burmese weaponry.

At the time KNU leaders accepted that DKBO forces, who were
familiar with Manerplaw ground defence and military stragety, had
assisted and guided Burmese troops to take Manerplaw,
situated on the west bank of the Moei River opposite Tak's Tha
Song Yang district. But KNU leader Gen Bo Mya had already
ordered the evacuation of Manerplaw residents_civilians and
militia_when it become clear that Burmese troops were closing in
to capture it.

Kawmoora commander Brig Gen Taw Hla had also ordered the
evacuation of his 800-strong die-hard force early on Tuesday at 4
am and the ethnic guerrillas began crossing the Moei
River into Thailand at around 4.20 am.

Thai border authorities believed the Slorc would continue to
support the DKBO and probably hand over the control of the
one-square-kilometre Kawmoora to the breakaway group as part of
its plan to legitimize the rival Karen group against the KNU,
which has not yet entered peace talks with the Slorc. The
situation around Kawmoora remained clam yesterday and
Burmese troops were seem patrolling the camp in the morning.
Laughter and cheerful conversation among patrolling troops and
senior officers could be heard from the Thai side at Baan Wang
Kaew, which was burnt down and deserted in May 1989 when the
Burmese army launched a massive but unsuccessful offensive to
capture it.

Burmese troops, identified by their green uniforms, were on alert
and observed several groups of reporters, photographers, and Thai
villagers who travelled to Baan Wang Kaew to observe the
situation at Kawmoora.

When waved and shouted at by curious media personnel, many
Burmese troops in bunkers and small shelters on the Moei River
waved and shouted back in Burmese.

Those who were placed on guard at a wooden bridge at the
entrance to Kawmoora prohibited media crew members from taking
pictures. "No. No. Photos," they shouted at them.

Thai border authorities said they had no information on the exact
numbers of Burmese troops now stationed in Kawmoora but that all
together seven Burmese battalions, estimated at 3,000 to 3,500
men, from the 22nd, 44th and 77th divisions, under the strategic
command of Maj Gen Maung Hla, were deployed in the offensive
against about 1,000 KNU forces who defended
Kawmoora. (BP & TN)



***********************SHAN STATE******************************
SEASIA-L: SHAN STATE ASSOCIATION
Gehan   bit.listserv.seasia-l   11:54 AM  Feb 23, 1995
(at Wijeyewardene.UUCP) (From News system)

Content-type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

A representative of the Shan State Association writes:
The New york Conference was very useful because the MTA (Muang
Tai Army) has accepted federalism, and more importantly, the
leadership of overseas Shan elements in political manoeuvering
outside Shan state. We issued a statement , the new York
Declaration , Shan State Conference, January 1995, and also set
up a Standing Committee to make the necessary moves and establish
Shan State prly once more on the Burmese and
international stage. It will, in effect, act as an informal
umbrella body to represent the aspirations of the Shan State
people (and as well, the armies).

Prior to this, Shan State was silent (and thus voiceless) because
of the shadow cast by the Khun Sa/Opium-Heroin factor. No
political group wanted to touch Shan State or the MTA for fear of
being tarred with the KS/O-H brush. Shan elements overseas too
were in an untenable position since they were expected by the
armies to act as their mouthpieces. But from now on, because the
armies have recognized the complexity of politics and accepted
the need for a flexible, more political action and response, per
the New York Declaration , the Standing Committeewill, I expect,
be able to do more in legitimating the armed resistance and
armies (including the MTA). It will also be able to work actively
with Bama/Burmese groups, non-Bama fronts, and transnational
NGOs.

Posted with permission

May I also say that the recent BURMA DEBATE edited by Maureen
aung-Thwin is devoted to interesting articles on Opium-Heroin,
Shan State and the contemporary politics of Burma. I suggest one
begs, borrows or steals. 

Gehan Wijeyewardene gew400@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


***********************
Note: BURMA DEBATE is edited by Mary Pack and is extremely well
done.  Subscription requests can be sent to burmad@xxxxxxxxx    
---Strider
***********************



*********************KACHIN STATE***************************** 
MNA/SLORC: OSS-101 WAR VETERANS OF US
Posted by bbatpt@xxxxxxxx

Deputy Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services General Maung Aye
decorates OSS-101War Veterans of US with Star of Liberation       
 Yangon , 21 Feb- Vice-Chairman of the State Law and Order
Restoration Council, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Defence
Services and Commander-in-Chief (Army) General Maung Aye, on
behalf of Chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration Council
Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services Senior General Than
Shwe, received and pinned Star of Liberation on leader of the
OSS-101 War Veterans Organization of United States former
ambassador Mr Julian M Niemczyk(Ex Capt) and member in
recognition of their contribution towards Myanmar's struggle for
independence together with the Allied Forces during the Second
World War, at a ceremony held at Dagon Yeiktha of the Ministry of
Defence at 10 am today.
        General Maung Aye , on behalf of Senior General Than
Shwe, individually pinned the Star of Liberation on 15 persons
who are members of OSS-101 War Veterans Organization of the
United States who took part in attacking the fascists in Myanmar
theatre during WWII.  (Myanmar News Agency)

************************THAILAND****************************** 
NATION:   TOP BURMESE OFFICIAL ISSUES APOLOGY FOR 'BURDEN' OF
          OFFENSIVE 

24 February 1995


Visiting Burmese senior military officier Lt-Gen Tin Oo
apologized yesterday to the Thai army for the unfortunate
burden caused by Rangoon's month-long military offensive
against ethnic Karen rebels positioned along the Thai-Burmese
border, according to army sources.

Tin Oo, who army chief of staff and deputy secretary-general of
Burma's State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc), was also
quoted as telling Army Chief Gen Wimol Wongwanich during their
meeting that he was sympathetic to the Thai Army's difficulty in
preventing Burmese fighters from crossing the shallow Moei River
into Thailand.

The junta's fourth highest official also expressed his
sympathy that Thailand has been the target of criticism by those
countries "which enjoy the luxury of distance from Burma and do
not understand relations between countries with
adjacent borders".
He was quoted as telling Gen Wimol that he believed Thailand knew
where to stand and what served the national interest. The general
also asked Thailand to send all the refugees back to Burma so
that they could help restore the country.

Tin Oo and his ten-man delegation arrived here yesterday for a
three-day visit as guest of the army, and held three hours of
talks with their Thai counterparts at the Army's adutitorium
before spending another two hours with Gen Wimol and other senior
Thai officers.

The visit began two days after Rangoon apparently clinched
military control over the Burmese border area from Tak to Mae
Hong Son by wiping out Karen fighters from Kawmoora, their last
major outpost, less than a month after the fall of the Karen's
Manerplaw headquarters.

It also comes at a time of tension between the two countries as
Burmese shells landed in Thai territory on several
occasions during the weeks-long Burmese offensive against
ethnic Karen rebels at the border.

This tension prompted the postponement of two other high-level
visits precviously scheduled for this month_by Burma's
powerful intelligence chief, Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, and
by Thai Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Painchpakdi.

Thai border authorities were furious not to have been alerted
before the Burmese military operations against the Karen
rebels took place, and to have been caught off guard when
fighting erupted and triggered shelling and an influx of
thousands of Karen refugees to Thailand.

Thailand has lodged diplomatic protests about the incidents, both
in Bangkok and Rangoon.

Deputy Army Chief lt Gen Chettha Thanajaro reportedly led a
military delegation which included the First Army Region
Commander Lt Gen Bandith Malaai-arisoon to Rangoon last month and
met Tin Oo.
Gen Wimol yesterday defended his meeting with Tin Oo, saying that
Thailand adhered to the policy of befriending its
neighbours and not interfering in their internal affairs.
He also said the country should not follow the approach of
countries which do not share a border with Burma, as "those
countries do not share our bitterness". (TN)


************************THAILAND****************************** 
BKK POST: JUNTA LEADER TO INSPECT THAI ARMY
23 February 1995

Burmese Army Chief-of-Staff Tin Oo will start a four-day visit as
guest of Army Chief Wimol Wongwanich today, an army officer said
yesterday.

The officer said the trip was designed to strengthen military
ties between the two countries adding that Lt-Gen Tin Oo would
inspect several army units during the stay.

Lt-Gen Tin Oo, a senior member of the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (Slorc), will make the trip on behalf of
Burmese Army Commander Gen maung Aye who was originally
invited by Gen Wimol.

During the visit, Lt-gen Tin Oo would make a call on gen Wimol at
army headquarters.(BP)

*******************THE WESTERN BORDER************************* 
NATION: BANGLADESH AND BURMA RESUME DIRECT AIR LINKS
24 February 1995

DIRECT flights between Rangoon and Dhaka resumed on Wednesday
after a seven-year gap, aviation officials said.
Burmese Deputy Minister for Transport San Wai, who was on the
inaugural Myanmar Airways International  (MAI) flight, told
reporters at Dhaka's Zia International Airport that the
resumption of flights would help boost ties between the two
neighbour.

"I am happy and I hope the frequency of the flight will be
increased in the future," he said.
Official sources said MAI flights were stopped in 1988 because of
Burma's internal political situation as well as losses on the
route.

Bangladesh's national airline, Biman, operates one weekly
flight to Rangoon.

********************INTERNATIONAL***************************** 
BKK POST: GERMAN ENVOY TO PUSH FOR MORE DEMOCRATIC BURMA
23 February 1995

German Deputy Foreign Minister Helmut Schaefer yesterday
joined other foreign counterparts calling for democracy re forms
in Burma.
He will today leave for talks with Burmese leaders in Rangoon. Mr
Schaefer said after holding talks with Deputy Foreign Min- ister
Surin Pitsuwan the world community wanted to see Burma with "more
democracy and more openness" towards other coun tries.
The Rangoon government still has problems on democracy re- forms,
he said.
Mr Schaefer's trip will end in Tokyo where he will attend a forum
for the comprehensive development of Indochina of the European
Union.
Mr Schaefere said his visit to Rangoon was to evaluate democ-
racy reforms and the progress of a critical dialogue, a policy
the EU is using with the ruling Slorc to convey the grouping's
concern over politics and human rights.
The EU had dialogue with Burma last September in New York when
German Foreign Minister Klause Kinkel, who was EU president,
spoke with his Burmese counterpart Ohn Gyaw while visiting the
49th general Assembly of the United Nations.
Both Thai and German deputy minister discussed Karen National
Union fighters who abandoned their major stronghold Kawmoora on
Tuesday after Burmese forces bombarded the base opposite Tak
Province.
They also discussed a proposed summit between Asian and EU
leaders and a forthcoming visit to Germany by Prime Minister
Chuan Leekpai.
Mr Surin, who is also acting foreign minister, said his German
counterpart had reiterated EU support for the leadership meet-
ing as the European grouping plans to play a larger role in Asia.
But the deputy minister pointed out the summit needed further
discussions over whether it should limit the meeting to lead- ers
of the Association of southeast Asian nations, or open it to
other Asian countries. (BP)

*********************INTERNATIONAL**************************** 
BKK POST: BONN ENVOY WANTS OPEN BURMA
23 February 1995

Visiting German Deputy Foreign Minister Helmut Schafer said
yesterday that Burma should delevop further towards
democracy and open more to the international community.

Schafer declined to comment specifically on the present
situation in the country, saying that he would visit Rangoon to
see the situation there for himself before making comment. "I
will visit Rangoon [today] and expect to meet some
important leaders of the country. We would like Burma to
develop like neighbouring countries," Schafer said.
The German minister yesterday spent an hour with Deputy
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan at the Foreign Ministry as part
of a two-day official visit to Thailand ending yesterday. "We all
hope for Burma to have more democracy and more opennes towards
its neighbours, Europe and the world community, so that the
country could be helped much more. This will be the theme of my
talks [with Burmese leaders]," he said.

Schafer's visit ti Burma comes just two days after Burmese troops
captured the last Karen National Union stronghold at Kawmoora, a
victory over the ethnic group fighting for
independence. Burmese forces captured the KNU headquarters at
Manerplaw on Jan 26.

He said his visit to Burma is a continuation of the "critical
political dialogue" reffered to by Foreign Minister Klaus
Kinkel in his speech at the UN General Assembly in New York late
last year.
Kinkel first floated the idea of the "critical dialogue" with
Burma when he attended the Asean Ministerial meeting in
Bangkok last July, during which Germany assumed the European
Union presidency. (BP & TN)



**************************************************************
NEWS SOURCES REGULARLY COVERED/ABBREVIATIONS USED BY BURMANET:
 ABSDF: ALL BURMA STUDENT'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT
 AP: ASSOCIATED PRESS
 AFP: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
 AW: ASIAWEEK
 Bt.: THAI BAHT; 25 Bt. EQUALS US$1 (APPROX),
 BBC: BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
 BKK POST: BANGKOK POST (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK)
 BRC-CM: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-CHIANG MAI
 BRC-J: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-JAPAN
 CPPSM: C'TEE FOR PUBLICITY OF THE PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE IN MONLAND
 FEER: FAR EAST ECONOMIC REVIEW
 IRRAWADDY: NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
 KHRG: KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
 KNU: KAREN NATIONAL UNION
 Kt. BURMESE KYAT; UP TO 150 KYAT-US$1 BLACK MARKET
                   106 KYAT US$1-SEMI-OFFICIAL
                   6 KYAT-US$1 OFFICIAL
 MOA: MIRROR OF ARAKAN
 MNA: MYANMAR NEWS AGENCY (SLORC)
 NATION: THE NATION (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK)
 NCGUB: NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF BURMA
 NLM: NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR (DAILY STATE-RUN NEWSPAPER, RANGOON)
 NMSP: NEW MON STATE PARTY
 RTA.:REC.TRAVEL.ASIA NEWSGROUP
 SCB.:SOC.CULTURE.BURMA NEWSGROUP
 SCT.:SOC.CULTURE.THAI NEWSGROUP
 SEASIA-L: S.E.ASIA BITNET MAILING LIST
 SLORC: STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL
 TAWSJ: THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL
 UPI: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
 USG: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
 XNA: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY
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