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VOA Latest News on BURMA/BOMB
- Subject: VOA Latest News on BURMA/BOMB
- From: moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 07 May 1997 16:27:00
DATE=5/6/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-213850
TITLE=BURMA / BOMB ( L ONLY)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: BURMA IS DENYING ALLEGATIONS THAT THE RECENT BOMB BLAST
THAT KILLED THE DAUGHTER OF A SENIOR GENERAL, WAS THE RESULT OF
AN INTERNAL POWER STRUGGLE, WITHIN THE RULING MILITARY
GOVERNMENT. THE DENIAL CAME IN A COMMENTARY IN STATE-RUN
NEWSPAPERS TUESDAY. AS VOA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS
FROM OUR SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU IN BANGKOK, AUTHORITIES ARE NOT
OFFERING ANY SOLID EVIDENCE INDICATING WHO WAS BEHIND THE ATTACK.
TEXT: IN A COMMENTARY IN BURMESE NEWSPAPERS, THE GOVERNMENT
DENOUNCED AS "SHAMELESS DEEDS" ALLEGATIONS THAT AN INTERNAL POWER
STRUGGLE CAUSED THE DEATH OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL TIN OO'S ELDEST
DAUGHTER.
THE COMMENTARY QUOTED GENERAL TIN OO AS SAYING THE BOMBING WAS
THE WORK OF "TERRORISTS" WHO WANTED TO KILL HIM. THE ARTICLE
SAID BURMESE EXILE GROUPS WERE ALIGNING THEMSELVES WITH THE KAREN
NATIONAL UNION AND ENCOURAGING THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY,
WHICH THE WRITER REFERRED TO AS THE "NOTORIOUS LEAGUE FOR
DEMONS."
THE KAREN NATIONAL UNION IS AN ARMED INSURGENCY MOVEMENT FIGHTING
FOR AUTONOMY FROM THE RANGOON GOVERNMENT. THE NATIONAL LEAGUE
FOR DEMOCRACY IS THE PRO-DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT LED BY AUNG SAN SUU
KYI. BOTH HAVE DENIED ANY ROLE IN THE APRIL SIXTH ATTACK AT
GENERAL TIN OO'S HOME.
ACCORDING TO THE OFFICIAL ACCOUNT, A PARCEL ARRIVED AT TIN OO'S
HOME BEARING A JAPANESE POSTMARK AND STAMPS. IT LAY UNOPENED
FOR SEVERAL DAYS UNTIL CHO LEI OO, THE GENERAL'S DAUGHTER,
OPENED IT, DETONATING THE BOMB INSIDE.
MANY RANGOON-BASED ANALYSTS HAVE EXPRESSED SKEPTICISM AT THIS
ACCOUNT, WONDERING HOW AN UNSOLICITED PARCEL COULD BE DELIVERED
TO THE HOME OF ONE BURMA'S MOST SENIOR OFFICIALS WITHOUT FIRST
BEING SCREENED.
BURMESE OFFICIALS HAVE SO FAR NOT PUBLICLY IDENTIFIED THE
CULPRITS, EXCEPT TO BLAME THE ATTACK, IN BROAD TERMS, ON EXILE
GROUPS. NO SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND NO ARRESTS MADE.
IT WAS THE SECOND BOMBING IN SEVERAL MONTHS. TWO BOMBS PLANTED
AT A BUDDHIST SHRINE IN RANGOON WENT OFF DECEMBER 25TH, KILLING
FIVE PEOPLE AND WOUNDING 17.
HOWEVER, THE BOMBING AT GENERAL TIN OO'S HOME WAS DIFFERENT FROM
THE CHRISTMAS DAY ATTACK, IN THAT IT WAS THE FIRST TIME A PARCEL
BOMB HAS BEEN USED. EXPERTS SAY A PARCEL BOMB IS MORE
SOPHISTICATED AND REQUIRES MORE EXPERTISE WITH EXPLOSIVES.
NEB/GPT/FC