KNU PRESS RELEASE REGARDING SLORC M

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Subject: KNU PRESS RELEASE REGARDING SLORC MILITARY OFFENSIVE

    ________________________________________________________________

                          Karen National Union
                        Department of Information
    ________________________________________________________________

                                                            July 28, 1995

Press Release
=============


    Regarding the Slorc military offensives in Karen Resistance areas


Stepping up of offensive
------------------------

The KNU has been making the effort to resolve the political
problems of the country politically by seeking dialogue with the
SLORC. However no dialogue has taken place between the two sides,
up to this day, In order to facilitate the initiation of
dialogue, the SLORC should have suspended or phased out its
military offensives. Instead, the SLORC has been stepping up its
offensives in the KNU areas, by deploying more than a hundred of
its army units. Apparently, the SLORC has leapt into more
military adventures under the intoxication of the superficial
success gained at the beginning of the year.


Army Units Employed
-------------------

In Toungoo District, Infantry Battalions #232, # 55, #262, #48,
#84, #85,#233, #59, #39, #73,#26 and #34, altogether 12 army
battalions:

In Shwegin, Kyaukkyi, Mon and etc. townships of Nyaunglebin
District, infantry battalions #57, #60. #96, #35, #39, #34 and
Light Infantry Battalions #349, #350, #351, and #263, altogether
10 battalions:

In Pa-an district, Light Infantry Battalions #204, #209, #203,
#210, #207, #201, #205, #202, #339, #338, #317, #335, #208, #2
and Infantry Battalions #10, #28, #38 and #230, altogether 18
army battalions:

In Papun District, Light Infantry Battalions #349, #6, #340 and
Infantry Battalions #94, #96, #19, #30, #26 and #39, altogether 9
battalions. Some SLORC army units from Karenni area have entered
into the north eastern part of Papun District:

In eastern part of Kawkareik and Moulmein Districts, Infantry
Battalions #206, #343, #31, #388, #310, #47, #231, #343, #32, #61
and 6 battalions from the Light Infantry Division #88, altogether
16 army  battalions.

In the Tavoy- Mergui District, Light Infantry Battalions #401,
#402, #403, #404, #405, #406, #407, #408, #409, #410, #342, #341,
#432, #358, #308, #27 and Infantry Battalions #25, #104, #267,
and #269, one naval group and one artillery battalion, altogether
about 27 battalions are deployed.

In Thanton, Kyaikto, Bilin and Theinzayat townships of Thaton
District, Light Infantry Battalion #101, #107, #105, #106, and
Infantry Battalions #24, #36, #18, and #96, altogether 8 army
battalions.

Thus, the SLORC has been using a total of about 101 battalions of
troops in its offensives in the areas of Karen resistance. These
offensive are being launched without any mention in the media.
More numerous and worsen than ever are the human rights
violations committed by the SLORC troops in these military
operations. According to incomplete reports 60 villages have been
forced to relocate and 100 villages have been destroyed by the
SLORC troops. Villagers from hundreds of villages have to abandon
their homes and properties to hide in mountains and jungles.
Hundreds of villagers are said to have been killed by
indiscriminate or deliberate shootings by the SLORC troops.

In Bawgli areas of Toungoo District, many women, young boys and
girls, aged persons and students were reportedly among villagers
seized for porters.


Comment by Gen. Secretary of KNU
--------------------------------

If the SLORC has affirm commitment to resolve the political
problems of the country politically, it has no reason to launch
such major offensive against the Karen resistance and perpetrate
wide-spread human rights violations. If the SLORC is sincere
about holding a dialogue with Karen resistance, it is necessary
for the SLORC to cease their military operations and human tights
violations against the Karen civilians. 

Striking a posture for dialogue and reconciliation on the one
hand and launching a large-scale military offensive and
perpetrating human rights violation on a greater scale on the
other, under medial black-out, are traitorous acts which are
counter-productive to the initiation of the process of dialogue
and reconciliation.

Whatever the situation of the design of the SLORC may be, the
people on the base areas of the KNU will never bear the heinous
acts of the SLORC lying down. Resistance against the SLORC will
be heightened by all means. However, the KNU will continue to
make effort for the meeting of the two sides for talks on the
basis of the stated stand of the KNU.