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News on "THE ASIAN AGE (25/2/97.)"



The Asian Age (New Delhi)
25 February 1997.

1). Civilians leave major Karen base in Burma
2). 'Do not politicise entry into Asean'
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Civilians leave major Karen base in Burma

Bangkok, Feb. 24: Hundreds of civilians on Monday started to evacuate a
major rebel headquarters in southern Burma, now under increasing threat
front military junta troops, a Karen National Union official said.

The ethnic Karen civilians headed for the Thai border to join tens of
thousands of Karens who have already taken refuge. Speaking from the
KNU's Fourth Brigade base at Minthamee some four km from Thailand,
district chairman Kwe Htoo Win said about 3,000 people, mainly women and
children, would be leaving.

The forces of Burma's State Law and Order Restoration Council remained
poised to attack Minthamee from the west and the about 24 km away, he
said. "Most people are leaving on foot and a few have cars," he said.
"They are worried because the SLORC troops are close but there is no
panic."

Border sources reported that the refugees from the KNU's Fourth Brigade
Area were being allowed to enter into Thailand's Kanchanaburi province,
despite earlier moves by Thai authorities to keep the Karens inside
Burma.

Mr Kwe Htoo Win said some KNU forces would stay at the base -- although
it was expected that the rebels would opt for guerrilla resistance
rather than attempt to defend a fixed position at Minthamee if the SLORC
forces attacked.

Two week's ago troops of Burma's ruling junta began a massive offensive
against territory held by the KNU, which is the only major ethnic
insurgency yet to reach a cease-fire with the junta. The KNU has already
lost its bases in Sixth Brigade Area to the north opposite Thailand's
Tak province, and looks set to lose its grip on its remaining border
enclave in Fourth Brigade Area, although some jungle areas in both
regions remain in rebel hands, border sources said. About 1,500 Karen
villagers from other villages in Fourth Brigade area were allowed over
the Thai border. (AFP)


'Do not politicise entry into Asean'

Kuala Lumpur, Feb. 24: Malaysia on Monday called on Western countries
not to politicise the admission of Burma into the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations.
"Certain Asean neighbours have some way to go," admitted international
trade and industry minister Rafidah Aziz. "As long is they are prepared
to abide by the Asean objectives, that is good enough. We shouldn't
politicise the admission of our neighbours into Asean," she told
reporters after opening an Asean meeting on foreign investment. Asean
has agreed to incorporate Cambodia, Laos and Burma. However, some member
countries were reported to have reservations over the timing of Burma's
entry as Western nations impose sanctions against Burma's military
government.

Malaysia, chairman of the group this year and host of key ministerial
meetings for the group in Kuala Lumpur in July, has endorsed Burma's
entry. Ms Rafidah said Malaysia had already emphasised to its friends
outside Asean that they should not impose their will on the group. "We
don't want anybody, to tell us (Asean) who we should group with and who
not to," she said, adding that the European Union should not interfere
in their affairs. "The EU can bring in anybody they like, neither do we
comment on who should go into NAFTA. It is not our responsibility nor
our business to do that. So for Asean, the same rationale applies," she
said. (AFP)