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NCUB PRESS RELEASE NO [7]



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N A T I O N A L   C O U N C I L   OF   T H E   U N I O N   O F   B U R M A
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				PRESS RELEASE NO [7]
	SLORC Troops Leave Trail of Burning Villages in Mergui-Tavoy District 
							Date: February 26, 1995

SLORC has extended its latest offensive against the Karen National Union (KNU) to the Mergui-Tavoy District.   The offensive has forced villagers to abandon their villages and flee for the Thai Burma border.  Thousands have already taken refuge on the Tha
i side of the border to escape large-scale abuses by SLORC troops. 
There is report of shortages in food and shelter as the displaced villagers had to leave in a  hurry and were unable to bring sufficient food with them.  
Several porters who escaped from the SLORC troops said many of the fleeing villagers captured by SLORC troops were forced to carry military supplies and made to walk in front of the troops as human minesweepers.   Several people unable to carry supplies a
nd  who attempted to run away were executed by SLORC soldiers.
Sources at the border said about 7,000 refugees have arrived at the Thai-Burma border as of today.  Thai authorities permitted women and children to cross the border into Thailand but forced the men to stay in Burma.   The women and children were reported
 to have been sent straight to a camp in Ratchaburi.
Since the offensive against the KNU began in Mergui-Tavoy District on February 8, 1997,  SLORC troops have burnt down Myitta, Kwe Waw Wah, Kalat Kee, Ka Nal Pose and other villages.
On February 9, SLORC No. 25 Infantry Regiment set 16 houses on fire at Kalatkee village.  They executed an innocent villager named Saw Paw Na.  
On February 12, the same regiment burnt down five houses and a Christian church in Ka Nel Pose village.  The commander also ordered the execution of seven sick SLORC soldiers and 20 porters.
On February 16, SLORC's No. 273 Infantry Regiment burnt down Ka Neh Hqae (Pyar Thar Chaung) village in Paw Kin river valley, Ban Chaung village in Paw Klao river valley and Phaung Daw village. The villages were accused of supporting the KNU.  All  farms b
elonging to the villages were torched and the farm animals were taken away.
On February 17, Ka Witt Hta village was burnt down and many villagers were forced
to serve as porters for the No. 17 and No. 101 SLORC Infantry Regiments.  The
whole village population has fled.

On the same day,  advancing SLORC troops also set fire to Ka Saw War and Ka Maw Htar villages.  Htee Pho Lay and Lo Ray villages were burnt down on February 18.  Some plantations were also destroyed by the troops.

The Information Committee, NCUB				Tel/Fax: 055 561 040