Burmese rebels vow to continue war (r)

[aungsan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Burmese rebels vow to continue war 
Karennis accept Army
By Sutin Wannabovorn
 
Opaah (Burma), March 27: The commander of Karenni guerrillas in eastern 
Burma said on Wednesday his fighters would continue their war against the 
Rangoon government despite the loss of their hilltop positions.
 
"Military speaking it is true, we have lost all our positions to the 
SLORC," 
Karenni rebel commander General Aung Myat said in an interview at his 
jungle 
hideout on the edge of eastern Burma's Kayah state near the Thai border. 
"But our soldiers are very brave and we will continue to fight the SLORC 
Army with guerrilla warfare tactics," the commander said, referring to 
Burma's 
ruling junta the State Law and Order Restoration Council.
 
The 48-year-old guerrilla commander, who has been fighting Burmese troops 
for more than 20 years, said his men lost 12 points hilltop positions to 
government troops during three months of recent fighting. He said about 
500 
government soldiers were killed or wounded in the fighting while the 
losses 
in his rebel army, which he said was 2,000 strong, were minimal.
 
"Karenni soldiers are very brave and have a lot of experience in 
guerrilla 
warfare. We fight only when we think we will win, that the reason why we 
lost very few soldiers," Mr Aung Myat said.
 
"One thing that made us continue fighting against the Burmese troops 
invading our territory is that the Karenni people are on our side.
 
"Without the support of the Karennni people we would not be able to 
continue 
fighting."  A cease-fire agreed last year by the SLORC and the Karenni 
collapsed when government forces moved into their small zone between the 
Salween river and the Thai border. (Rueter)