ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
AASYC All Arakanese Students and Youth Congress
AAPP Association for Assistance of Political Prisoners
ABSDF: All Burma Students’ Democratic Front
ABSDF/WB: All Burma Students’ Democratic Front - Western Burma
ABFSU: All Burma Federation of Students Union
ABFSU/FA: All Burma Federation of Students Union (Foreign Affairs)
ABSL: All Burma Students’ League
ABYMU: All Burma Young Monks Union
ALTSEAN: Alternative Asean Network on Burma
aka: also known as
ALP: Arakan Liberation Party
approx: approximately
ASC: Arakanese Students’ Congress
BAD: Border Area Development Program
B.E.: Burmese Era
Brig : Brigadier
BI: Burma Issues
BIG: Burma Information Group
BPP: Border Patrol Police (Thailand)
BRC: Burmese Relief Center
BSPP: Burma Socialist Program Party
Capt: Captain
CEC: Central Executive Committee
CHRO: Chin Human Rights Organization
CNF: Chin National Front
Comdr: Commander
Col: Colonel
Cpl: Corporal
CPPSM: Campaign for the Publicity of the People’s Struggle in Monland
CRPP: The Committee Representing the People’s Parliament
DDSI: Directorate of Defense Services Intelligence
DKBA: Democratic Kayin (Karen) Buddhist Army
DKBO: Democratic Kayin Buddhist Organization
DPA: Democratic Patriotic Army
DPNS: Democratic Party for New Society
DVB: Democratic Voice of Burma
ENSCC: Ethnic Nationalities Solidarity & Co-operation Committee
FEC: Foreign Exchange Certificate (See “Measurements”)
ft: feet
FTUB: Federation of Trade Unions, Burma
Gen: General
HRDU: Human Rights Documentation Unit
HRV: Human Rights Violations
HURFOM: Human Rights Foundation of Monland
IA: Images Asia
IB: Infantry Battalion
IDC: Immigration Detention Center (Thailand)
IDP: Internally Displaced Persons
ILO: International Labor Organization
Ind: Independent
Lt: Lieutenant
kg: Kilogram
km: Kilometer
KHRG: Karen Human Rights Group
KIA: Kachin Independence Army
KIC: Karen Information Center
KIO: Kachin Independence Organization
KNAHR: Karenni News Agency for Human Rights
KNDA: Karenni National Democratic Army
KNLA: Karen National Liberation Army
KNPLF: Karenni Nationality Peoples’ Liberation Front
KNPP: Karenni National Progressive Party
KNU: Karen National Union
LDC: Least Developed Country
LIB: Light Infantry Battalion
LID: Light Infantry Division
MAMD: Mon Army, Mergui District
Maj: Major
Ma Wa Ta: Township-level SLORC authorities
MI: Military Inteligance
MIS: Military Intelligence Services (aka DDSI)
MIS: Mon Information Service
m: meter
mm: millimeter
MNRC: Mon National Relief Committee
MOGE: Myanmar Oil & Gas Enterprise
MOI: Ministry of Interior (Thailand)
MPs: Members of Parliament
MSC: Military Strategic Command
MTA: Mong Tai Army
n.a.: not available
Na Wa Ta: State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)
NBC: Norwegian Burma Council
NCGUB: National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
NCO: Non-commissioned officer
NGO: Non-governmental organization
NLD: National League for Democracy
NLD (LA): National League for Democracy (Liberated Area)
NLM: The New Light of Myanmar (SPDC-controlled newspaper)
NMSP: New Mon State Party
PDC: Peace and Development Council
PSB: Press Scrutiny Broad
RFA: Radio Free Asia
SAIN: Southeast Asia Information Network
Sd.: Signed with signature
Sgt: Sergeant
SHRF: Shan Human Rights Foundation
S.H.A.N.: Shan Herald Agency for News
SLORC: State Law and Order Restoration Council
SPDC: State Peace and Development Council
sq: square
SSA: Shan State Army
SSIA: Shan State Independence Army
SUA: Shan United Army
SURA: Shan United Revolutionary Army
SWAN: Shan Women’s Action Network
TOC: Tactical Operations Command
THRF: Tavoyan Human Rights Foundation
UN: United Nations
UNA: United Nationalities Association
UNDP: United Nations Development Program
USDA: Union Solidarity and Development Association
UNESCO: United Nations Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization
TERMS
baht: monetary unit of Thailand (see “Measurements”).
Bo: military commander.
Daw: an honorific used to address an adult female
furlong: (see “Measurements”)
Kawthoolei: Karen name for the Karen nation.
Khun: polite form of address in the Thai language
Ko: Burmese form of address to a young male
kyat: monetary unit in Burma
longyi: Burmese word for sarong
Ma: Burmese form of address to a young female
Mahn: Burmese form of address to a Karen male
Maung: Burmese form of address to a young male
Mehm/Min: form of address to a young Mon male
Mi: form of address to a Mon female
Nai: Burmese form of address to an adult Mon male
Naw: Burmese form of address to a Karen female
plah: Karen measurement of distance, from elbow to fingertip
(1 plah is under 2 feet)
pya: 100 pyas = 1 kyats
pyi: eight-condensed-milk tin
Sai: Burmese form of address to a young Shan male
Sangha: Buddhist order of monks
Sao: male of Shan royal descent
Saw: form of address to a Karen male
Sayadaw: presiding monk of a Buddhist monastery
Shwedagon: The Great Pagoda in Rangoon
Tatmadaw: Burmese Army
Thakin: master; lord (used to address the British colonial rulers; later politicized by the Burmese independence movement in the 1930s)
tickle: (see “Measurements”)
tin: (see “Measurements”)
tract (village): area consisting of 4-6 villages
U: an honorific used to address an adult male in Burma
viss: (see “Measurements”)
MEASUREMENTS
acre: 1 acre = 4,840 sq. yards = 0.407 hectare
2.471 acres = 11,960 sq. yards = 1 hectare
640 acres = 1 sq. mile = 2.590 sq. kilometers
baht: 1 baht = 100 satang
38 baht = US$ 1 (April, 2000)
FEC: 1 FEC = US$1 = kyat 6.5 (official)
1 FEC = Kyats 750 (unofficial)
furlong: 1 furlong = 220 yards (1/8) mile = 201 meters
lakh: 1 lakh = 100,000
tin: 1 tin = 16 pyi
1 pyi (rice/condensed milk) = approx. 250 ml
viss: 1 viss = 3.6 lbs = 1.633 kg
622.22 viss = 1 long ton (2,240 lbs) = 1.016 metric tons
NOTE ABOUT SPELLINGS:
Since there are no standardized transcriptions in the Roman alphabet for Burmese, Mon, and other ethnic languages, words are spelled variously, according to different spelling conventions or by how they sound (the spelling of Halockhani refugee camp is a classic example of this, by Westerners as well as Thais and locals). In addition, spellings have further been confused by the ruling junta’s official Burmanization of well-known English terminology (e.g. Myanmar for Burma).
In order to avoid confusion and politicization, this report will restrict its use of language to the established and more widely-accepted anglicized spellings, since this report to written in English.
A list of alternative spellings from various sources are provided as follows:
Ayeyarwady: Irrawaddy
Bagan: Pagan
Bago: Pegu
Bamar: Burman
Dawei: Tavoy
Hinthada: Henzada
Hpa-an: Pa-an
Kayah: Karenni
Kayin: Karen
Kyaing Don: Kengtung
Magway: Magwe
Mawlamyine: Moulmein
Muang Tai: Mong Tai
Myeit: Mergui
Myanmar: Burma
Pathein: Bassein
Pyay: Prome
Sittoung: Sittaung
Sittwe, Sittway: Akyab
Tanintharyi: Tenasserim
Thandwai: Sandoway
Thanlwin: Salween River
Taungyin: Moei River
Toungoo: Taungoo
Yangon: Rangoon