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Statement on Retaliation Attack and



KNU Statement regarding Retaliation against SPDC Troops and Their Followers
March 28, 1998
¯ The SPDC (formerly SLORC) has been attempting to capture the KNLA 7th
Brigade Headquarters by using its army battalions consisting of LIBs 119,
111, 12, and IBs 4, 42 and 120, since 7-3-98. While launching attacks
against the 7th Brigade Headquarters, some of the SPDC troops from the
above mentioned battalions violated the territorial integrity of Thailand
by launching cross-border attacks against Karen refugee camps on 11-3-98,
15-3-98 and 23-3-98.
¯ Troops from the KNLA 7th Brigade and the Special 101 Battalion attacked
and destroyed the DKBA Headquarters on 24-3-98, the DKBA camps of Kokko and
Thehbon on 26-3-98, and Kanuta camp on 27-3-98. While the attacks were in
progress, the SPDC troops in the vicinity used their heavy weapons
supposedly to counter the attacks. In the process, the SPDC's 15 mortar
shells landed in Thehbon village, 9  in Kanuta village and a number in
Kokko village, killing and wounding a large number of  Karen civilians. In
regard of this incident, the KNU would like to say as follows:
1. In all the 4 retaliation attacks, the KNLA troops took as much
precaution as possible not to harm the civilian population, and
specifically attacked the enemy positions. The death and wounded of the
civilians were caused by the heavy weapon shells of the SPDC troops. It was
the deliberate and evil acts of killing the innocent civilians, and the
SPDC must be held entirely responsible for these outrageous acts.
2. The KNLA's retaliation attacks were limited to some of the DKBA troops
that had committed outrageous acts, in accordance with the wishes of the
SPDC, against the Karen people.
3. Persons spreading the false propaganda that refugees from some of the
camps, that had been attacked, participated in the retaliation attacks are
simply finding fault with the innocent Karen civilians.  Not a single
refugee participated in the retaliation attacks.
4. The principal enemy of the KNU is the SPDC which has regarded the KNU as
an enemy and which has been making war barbarously against the KNU and the
Karen people. The DKBA is not the mortal enemy of the KNU. The attacks
against some of the DKBA camps were intended to serve only as a warning.
5. We, the KNU, demand the SPDC to take note of the consequences of its
evil acts and cease its heinous activities for turning to the resolution of
conflicts justly through negotiation.

Words & Abbreviations: KNU = Karen National Union (Political wing of Karen
resistance); SPDC = State Peace and Development Council (Military
dictatorship of Burma); SLORC = State Law and Order Restoration Council
(Previous name of the SPDC); LIB = Light Infantry Battalion; IB = Infantry
Battalion; DKBA = Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army ( Puppet army of  SPDC)
(Translated and distributed by the Karen Information Center)
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