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Exiles: Burma army uses forced labo
- Subject: Exiles: Burma army uses forced labo
- From: moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 16 Jun 1997 18:05:00
Subject: Exiles: Burma army uses forced labor
Exiles: Burma army uses forced labor 12/6 Examiner wire reports
Bangkok The Burmese army has forced at least 4,000 villagers to
carry food
and equipment for soldiers fighting ethnic Karen rebels, an exiled
student
group said Thursday.
Many of the porters are women who have been raped by the soldiers,
the All
Burma Students Democratic Front said in a statement released in
Bangkok.
The Burmese army launched an offensive in February aimed at wiping out
Karen resistance to the military government. The rebels have lost
most of their
key bases along the Thai border, and more than 10,000 refugees have
fled to
Thailand to avoid the conflict.
The Karen have been fighting for autonomy since 1949. The latest
campaign
began after cease-fire talks between the two sides broke down.