BurmaNet News: February 22, 1996 #3

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Subject: BurmaNet News: February 22, 1996 #348



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The BurmaNet News: February 22, 1996
Issue #348

HEADLINES:
==========
THE NATION: KAREN REBELS LEAVE KEY BASE ON THE BORDER
BKK POST: BURMA REBEL GROUPS MEET ON RIGHTS OF MINORITIES
BKK POST: REOPENING OF BORDER CROSSING VITAL TO ECONOMY
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THE NATION: KAREN REBELS LEAVE KEY BASE ON THE BORDER

February 22, 1996

SOMCHIT RUNGCHAMRATRASMEE

The Nation

MAE SOT - Renegade Karen Buddhist forces who have for the 
past several months intruded violently into refugee camps in 
one of their key bases on the border with Thailand, 
according to Thai and Karen sources.

Thai officers in Mae Sot district said the armed troops of 
the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) have also stopped 
crossing the Moei River into Thailand, probably because Thai 
authorities begun talks with them on Feb 14.

The officers believed that a delegation of the Karen 
National Union (KNU), which is in Moulmein for the second 
round of ceasefire talks with the Burmese junta, had also 
requested Rangoon to persuade the DKBA to stop its violent 
harassment and kidnapping of Karen refugees in Thailand.

The Slorc "must have promised the KNU delegation that they 
would help the talks with the DKBA", said one officer.

The DKBA was set up towards the end of 1994 by a group of 
young turks who accused KNU leaders, most of whom are 
Christian, of practising religious discrimination against 
Buddhist members.

KNU sources said their team, led by Padoh Mansha, left on 
Feb 14 for a ceasefire meeting in Moulmein with a Slorc 
delegation led by Southern Commander Lt Gen Ket Sein.

They added that the Karen delegates must have also asked Ket 
Sein to help resolve the DKBA matter.

Thai officers said they detected that DKBA forces had on 
Monday withdrawn from the Kawmoora camp, which is opposite 
Baan Wang Pa in Mae Sot, and returned to their headquarters 
at Myainyingoo temple.

The order for the withdrawal must have come from DKBA leader 
and Buddhist monk U Thuzana, they added. The DKBA captured 
Kawmoora from the KNU on Feb 19 a year ago.

Tha Song Yang district chief Pallop Sripa said yesterday he 
had received no report of DKBA intrusions into camps in Tha 
Song Yang since he crossed the Moei River to talk with the 
armed Karen group on Feb 14.

He said the DKBA had  been "unusually quiet" for the past 
few days and that he had requested local Thai officers to 
investigate the situation.

Pallop said Tha Song Yang authorities and army troops 
deployed in the area since the DKBA intrusions began would 
continue their 24-hour surveillance f the border as the 
intruders could return. (TN)

-******************  

BKK POST: BURMA REBEL GROUPS MEET ON RIGHTS OF MINORITIES
February 22, 1996

Representatives of 11 Burmese organisations opposed to 
Rangoon met yesterday to map out ways to help ethnic 
minority groups whose human rights have been violated by the 
military junta, said a senior Thai authority here.

About 40 participants were reported to have taken part in a 
two-day seminar, which ended yesterday. The seminar, 
entitled The State Law and Order Restoration Council and 
Human Rights Violations, was attended by representatives 
from the Karenni National Progress Party, Karen National 
Union, All Burma Students? Democratic Front, Pa-o National 
Organisation, Muslim Liberation Organisation of Burma, the 
Kayan group, Palaung State Liberation Party, Wa National 
organisation, All Burma Muslim Union and non-governmental 
organisations.

They claimed the Slorc had abused human rights of its 
minority groups, which have been fighting Rangoon for 
greater autonomy. It was resolved that the Slorc?s 
violations would be unmasked and that the organisations will 
seek help from foreign organisations in Europe and America 
to support the minorities. (BP)

***************

BKK POST: REOPENING OF BORDER CROSSING VITAL TO ECONOMY
February 22, 1996

The Thai-Burmese border crossing points in Mae Hong Son 
should be reopened to improve the province?s gloomy economy, 
according to the provincial Chamber of Commerce deputy 
chairman.

Som Chai Sitthisantikul said his agency it waiting for the 
authorities to reply to its request to reopen the border 
crossings at Ban Nai Soi and Ban Huay Pueng in Maung 
District.

The reopening is expected to boost the province?s economy 
which has been seriously affected since the Third Army 
Region demanded the closure in July 1994.

Mae Hong Son?s trade volume dropped from 10.76 billion in 
1994 to 9.21 billion baht in 1995 after closure of the 
checkpoints. In addition, the value of jewellery imports 
decreased by 200% and cattle trade by 60% he said.

Following the closure, there have been reports of increased 
smuggling across the border and of government officials 
extorting money from Thai and Burmese smugglers.

National Security Council deputy secretary-general 
Khachadpai Burusapatana said during a recent inspection tour 
to Mae Hong Son that there is no evidence to prove that some 
officials had benefited from closure of the Thai-Burmese 
border. However, he supported the reopening of the Mae Sai-
Tachilek checkpoint in Chiang Rai and the Mae Sot-Myawaddy 
checkpoints in Tak because the agency had been frequently 
informed about illegal Burmese immigrants and smuggled 
Burmese natural resources.

In response to reports about corruption among Thai border 
officials caused by closure of the checkpoints, the Naresuan 
Task Force recently urged agencies responsible for Ban Huay 
Pueng crossing point in Muang Mae Hong Son to explain the 
accusations.

Ban Huay Pueng checkpoint officials allegedly took bribes in 
exchange for allowing Thai and Burmese traders to transport 
merchandise such as cattle and logs across the border. The 
officers were also accused of collecting 3,500 baht from 
each motorist and 500 baht from every motorcyclist wanting 
to pass the checkpoint. (BP)

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