Burma Genl Blames Rebellion On Trai

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Subject: Burma Genl Blames Rebellion On Traitors, Foreign  Countries

Dow Jones Business News -- March 14, 1997
                                       Burma Genl Blames Rebellion On
Traitors, Foreign
                                       Countries

                                       AP-Dow Jones News Service

                                       RANGOON -- A senior military junta
member has blamed foreign countries and
                                       internal traitors for encouraging
ethnic Karen rebels to continue fighting the
                                       government, a state-run newspaper
said Friday.

                                       Burma launched a massive military
offensive in February to wipe out the Karen
                                       National Union, which has been
fighting for autonomy since 1949. Nearly 15,000
                                       refugees have fled to Thailand
because of the fighting.

                                       'Using internal traitors, the
neo-colonialists are trying to cause disunity among
                                       nationalities and disintegration of
the country,' said Gen. Khin Nyunt, head of military
                                       intelligence, according to the New
Light of Myanmar newspaper.

                                       The military government frequently
refers to Nobel Peace Prize winner and
                                       democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi as
an internal traitor and a stooge of the U.S.
                                       Central Intelligence Agency.

                                       Several Burma watchers, including
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill
                                       Richardson, consider Khin Nyunt the
moderate among Burma's top generals.

                                       The New Light of Myanmar also
reported that the army seized four SAM-7 missiles
                                       and several pieces of 107mm, 82mm and
75mm mortars from Karen rebels when it
                                       occupied their bases of Hti Hta and
Hti Kee near the Thai border.

                                       The government claims 37 rebels and
22 government soldiers have been killed in 59
                                       clashes since fighting began on Feb.
11. Karen rebels claim there have been more
                                       government than rebel casualties.