VOA REPORT :BURMA BOMBING 8/4

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=4/8/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-212573
TITLE=BURMA-BOMBING (L ONLY)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:    

INTRO:  FUNERAL SERVICES WERE SCHEDULED TO BE HELD TUESDAY FOR 
THE DAUGHTER OF ONE OF BURMA'S TOP GENERALS WHO WAS KILLED BY A 
PARCEL BOMB SUNDAY.  THE ATTACK HAS SHOCKED CITIZENS AND 
MYSTIFIED ANALYSTS IN RANGOON, WHO SEE IT AS A NEW AND DISTURBING
DEVELOPMENT IN A COUNTRY ALREADY IN THE GRIP OF POLITICAL 
TENSION.  CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS FROM OUR SOUTHEAST 
ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK.

TEXT:  NEWS OF THE BOMBING AT THE RANGOON HOME OF LIEUTENANT 
GENERAL TIN OO WAS GIVEN ONLY BRIEF MENTION IN STATE-RUN MEDIA 
TUESDAY.  BOTH RADIO AND NEWSPAPERS CARRIED THE SAME TERSE 
GOVERNMENT STATEMENT RELEASED EARLIER.  IT SAID THE GENERAL'S 
ELDEST DAUGHTER, 34-YEAR-OLD CHO LEI OO, WAS KILLED BY WHAT 
INVESTIGATORS HAD DETERMINED WAS A PARCEL BOMB.

GENERAL TIN OO IS ONE OF THE TOP GENERAL'S IN BURMA'S RULING 
STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL, COMMONLY KNOWN AS SLORC.

AUTHORITIES ARE GIVING OUT NO FURTHER INFORMATION AND HAVE NOT 
ASSIGNED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BOMBING.  DIPLOMATIC ANALYSTS SAY
THEY REMAIN MYSTIFIED ABOUT WHO WOULD CARRY OUT SUCH AN ATTACK.

KEY EXILE AND ETHNIC GROUPS, WHO ARE AT ODDS WITH THE MILITARY 
GOVERNMENT, ARE DENYING RESPONSIBILITY.  THE KAREN NATIONAL 
UNION, THE ALL BURMA STUDENTS' DEMOCRATIC FRONT, AND THE NATIONAL
COALITION GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF BURMA, ISSUED STATEMENTS 
SAYING THEY HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH THE ATTACK ON GENERAL TIN OO'S
HOME.  ALL THREE GROUPS TRIED TO BLAME THE BOMBING ON INTERNAL 
DIVISIONS WITHIN THE SLORC, BUT MOST INDEPENDENT ANALYSTS DISMISS
THAT THEORY.

THERE HAVE BEEN BOMBINGS IN BURMA BEFORE -- SUCH AS THE DECEMBER 
25TH BLASTS AT A BUDDHIST SHRINE IN RANGOON, THAT KILLED FIVE 
PEOPLE AND WOUNDED 17.  GENERAL TIN OO VISITED THE SHRINE ONLY 
HOURS BEFORE THE EXPLOSIONS, BUT IT HAS NEVER BEEN CONCLUSIVELY 
DETERMINED WHETHER HE WAS THE INTENDED TARGET.  THE GOVERNMENT 
BLAMED THOSE BOMBINGS ON THE KAREN NATIONAL UNION -- WHICH THE 
K-N-U DENIED.  NO ONE HAS BEEN ARRESTED FOR THOSE ATTACKS.

BUT THOSE BOMBS WERE PLANTED AT A FIXED SITE.  THERE IS CONSENSUS
AMONG THOSE DIPLOMATS INTERVIEWED, WHO ASKED NOT TO BE 
IDENTIFIED, THE MODE OF ATTACK ON GENERAL TIN OO'S HOME POINTS TO
A NEW GROUP.  PARCEL BOMBS HAVE NEVER BEEN USED IN BURMA, AND ARE
NOT UTILIZED BY BURMA'S VARIOUS INSURGENT GROUPS, SUCH AS THE 
K-N-U, WHICH USE JUNGLE GUERRILLA WARFARE TACTICS.

DIPLOMATS AND RESIDENTS IN THE BURMESE CAPITAL SAID THERE WERE 
FEW SIGNS OF INCREASED SECURITY TUESDAY IN RANGOON.  BUT SECURITY
MEASURES ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE LEADING UP TO "THINGYAN," THE 
TRADITIONAL WATER FESTIVAL NEXT WEEK.  IT IS ONE OF THE FEW TIMES
AUTHORITIES ALLOW CROWDS TO GATHER IN THE STREETS -- AND WARNINGS
HAVE ALREADY BEEN ISSUED TO REFRAIN FROM USING THE FESTIVAL TO 
ENGAGE IN POLITICAL ACTIVITIES.   (SIGNED)

NEB/GPT/FC/RAE


08-Apr-97 7:07 AM EDT (1107 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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