OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS

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Subject: OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS  KAREN NATIONAL UNION  KAW THOO LEI     Press Release No. 22/97

OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS  KAREN NATIONAL UNION  KAW THOO LEI


                                            Press Release No. 22/97
    Regarding the SLORC 1997 Major Offensive Against the KNU

              While proclaiming the slogans of "Non-disintegration of
the
Union"- "Consolidation of National Unity" ----, the SLORC has been
waging a
barbaric war of aggression, slaughter, desruction, rape and etc, and
perpetrating atrocities against the Karen people. 

* 20-3-97: Sergeant Tway Nge and a private from the SLORC LIB* 208,
under the
command of Maj. Tay Aung raped Naw Paw Lweh, 15, of Pu-yay village which
is
situated near Kyaik-don village in Kya-in-Seik-Kyi township. The crime
took
place at 8 p.m. on the upper floor of her own house. The two threatened
Naw
Paw Lweh's aunt with death if there was any leak of information about
the
matter.

* 23-3-97: Company (1) commander from SLORC LIB 205, Capt* Thein Aung
and his
whole company of soldier gang-raped Naw Aye Win, 35, and her sister Ma
Thein
Za, 17, from Gar-lay-kee village of Kya-in-Seik-kyi township and, then,
shot
them to death. The naked bodies of the two were left at the edge of a
forest.

* 28-4-97: Saw Pa Nar, a member of the ally of the SLORC, DKBA * shot to
death Par Thay Thar, 25, from No-law-pa-law village at a place between
Too-chaw and Pa-lo villages in Thaton district.

* 29-4-97: A DKBA member Than Tun and friends burnt down the house of
Maung
Aung Than of Kyauk-pya village causing a loss of property worth 500,000
Kyat*.

* 2-5-97: Intelligence officer Capt. Tin Ngwe from LIB 230 of the SLORC
army
arrested without reason Saw Maung Kyaw, 38, of Ma-yan-gon village,
Thaton
district and beat him up. He was seriously injured, as a result.

* 3-5-97: Captain Tin Ngwe arrested U Par Kya, 40, of Me-jaung-aing
village
and took him to Maj. Thet Tin Win of Naung-ga-doke camp. At about 5 p.m,
Maj.
Thet Tin Win took U Par Kya and villagers of Me-jaung-aing to the
cemetery
and made the villagers dig pit in the ground. Then U Par Kya was made to
lie
down in the pit and shot in front of the villagers. Again, Maj. Thet Tin
Win
stabbed U Par Kyi, 50, and U Par Leh, 40, of Naung-ga-doke village with
a
knife and dragged them into the village with blood dripping from the
wounds
and summoned the villagers to come and take a look.

LIB = Light Infantry Battalion
Capt = Captain
DKBA = Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army
Kyat = Name of the Burmese currency

KNU Information center
SKIRMISHES IN APRIL

     From 1.4.97 to 30.4.97, (95) clashes broke out between the KNLA
troops
and SLORC troops, (65) KNLA mines were exploded. 46 SLORC soldiers were
killed and 62 SLORC soldiers were injured. 63 SLORC soldiers lost their
legs.
KNLA troops suffered (7) dead, (11) KNLA soldiers were injured and lost
(1)
M-16 and (1) M-203. 

KNU Information Center
BATTLE NEWS


2.4.97

(No.(5)Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) KNLA troops SLORC troops at Htee
Hgaw
Lu. Casualties are unknown.

8.4.97

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) KNLA troops attacked SLORC
troops at
Paw Wah Der. One SLORC soldier was killed and two SLORC soldiers were
injured.

13.4.97

(No. (5) Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) A battle broke out between the
KNLA
troops and SLORC troops at Yo Po Lu. One SLORC soldier was killed.

14.4.97

(No.(1) Brigade, Thaton district, Belin township Area) A clash broke out
between KNLA troops and SLORC troops. One SLORC soldier was injured.

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) KNLA troops attacked SLORC
troops at
a position between Htee The Lay and Htee Law The Hta. A clash broke out
again
between the KNLA troops and SLORC troops at western Htee The Lay.
Casualties
are unknwon.

15.4.97

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) KNLA troops attacked LIR (547)
at Maw
Kee village. Casualties are unknown.

17.4.97

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) At 1850 hours, KNLA troops
attacked
SLORC troops at Ta Ru Kyo. One SLORC soldier was killed and one SLORC
soldier
was injured. At the same day, at 2130 hours, KNLA troops attacked LIR
(547)
at Lay Kyo. Casualties are unknown.

18.4.97

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) KNLA troops ambushed SLORC
troops at
Hpo Ler. One SLORC was killed and one SLORC soldier was injured. At the
same
day, KNLA troops attacked LIR (547) at Hta Per Der. One SLORC soldier
was
killed.

19.4.97

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) At 0700 hours, KNLA troops
attacked
SLORC troops at Thay Pler Kyo. One SLORC soldier was killed and one
SLORC
soldier was injured. At the same day, KNLA troops attacked SLORC troops
at
Boe Ler. Casualties are unknown.
                   At 0700 hours, KNLA troops attacked LIR (34) at Hsaw
Ler
Der. One SLORC soldier was injured. At the same day, at 1240 hours, a
clash
broke out again between the KNLA troops and SLORC troops. One SLORC
soldier
was killed and one was injured. At the same day, at 1330 hours, KNLA
troops
attacked again at Hsaw Ler Der. One SLORC soldier was killed and one was
injured. At the same day, KNLA troops attacked SLORC troops at Hpo Ler.
Casualties are unknown.

20.4.97

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district) A clash broke out between the KNLA
troops
and SLORC troops at Thay Kho Klo. At the same day, KNLA troops attacked
SLORC
troops at HtarMae Der. At the same day, SLORC troops stepped on a KNLA
mine
at Ku Lu Klo. One SLORC soldier lost his leg.
                          LIR(341) stepped on a KNLA mine at Bu Ka Lar
Area.
One SLORC soldier lost his leg.

21.4.97

(No.(2) Brigade, Taungoo district Area) KNLA troops attacked SLORC
military
base at Than Taung Way Thaw (15 miles). One SLORC soldier was killed and
three SLORC soldiers were injured. Including one officer was injured.

(No.(7) Brigade,Paan district Area) SLORC troops stepped on a KNLA mine
at
Pya Khee. One SLORC soldier lost his leg.

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) KNLA troops attacked LIR (547)
at
Thay Nay Kyo. At the same day, KNLA troops attacked LIR (341) at Hsaw
Ler
Der. At the same day, SLORC troops stepped on (10) KNLA mines at Ko Day,
Htee
Mwee Khee, Ler Ko Wah, Weh Lay Lu, Du Do Lu, Yo Po Law Lu, Maw Lo Klo,
Lay Bu
lo, Htee Lae Hta, Ta Kaw To Baw. Ten SLORC soldiers lost their legs.

24.4.97

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district Area) SLORC troops stepped on three
KNLA
mines at Hgaw Daw and Ler Taw Day. Three SLORC soldiers lost thier legs.
At
the same day, KNLA troops attacked SLORC troops at Htee Thwee Khee.
Casualties are unknown.

26.4.97

(No.(1) Brigade, Thaton district Area) At 0800 hours, KNLA troops
attacked
SLORC troops with Claymore mine at a position between Mya lay and Htee
Hse
Baw. Eiht SLORC soldiers were killed and three SLORC soldiers were
injured.
Including one Lieutenant was dead.

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district) At 0800 hours, KNLA troops attacked
SLORC
troops at a position between Maw Lo Klo and Lay Po Hta. One SLORC
soldier was
injured. At the same day, SLORC troops attacked KNLA troops at Htee Thay
Day.
KNLA suffered no casualties. SLORC casualties are unknown.

28.4.97

(No.(7) Brigade, Paan district Area) A battle broke out between the KNLA
troops and SLORC troops at Htee Klay Kaw Pwe village. The battle lasted
(4)
hours. Four SLORC soldiers were killed and four SLORC soldiers were
injured.

(No.(5) Brigade, Mu Traw district) KNLA troops attacked SLORC troops at
Hto
Ree Kyo. At the same day, SLORC troops stepped on a KNLA mine at Hto Ree
Day.
One SLORC soldier lost his leg.

29.4.97

(No.(7) Brigade, Paan district, Ta Nay Char township) At 1340 hours,
SLORC
troops attacked KNLA troops at Ko Pway. The battle lasted (4) hours.
Eight
SLORC soldiers were killed and twelve SLORC soldiers were injured.
Including
one second Lieutenant, two Sergearnt were dead and one Lieutenant was
injured. Three KNLA soldiers were injured.

(No.(5) Brigade, KNDO No.(1)BN., Mu Traw district Area) KNDO troops
attacked
SLORC troops at Day Bu Plaw.

(No.(2) Brigade, Taungoo district Area) LIB (53) stepped on a KNLA mine
at a
position between Hse Day and Bu Hser Khee. One SLORC soldier lost his
leg.

30.4.97

(No.(5) Brigade, KNDO No.(1) BN., Mu Traw district Area) Three clashes
broke
out between the KNDO and SLORC troops at Ler Mu Plaw Area. At the Same
time,
KNDO troops attacked SLORC troops at Ler Mu Plaw village. Two SLORC were
killed.


KNLA = Karen National Liberation Army
KNDO = Karen National Defence Organization
SLORC= State Law and Order restoration Council
LIR = Light Infantry Regiment
LIB = Light Infantry Battalion 

KNU Information Center