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OIL COMPANY EMPLOYS MERCENARIES.



06Nov96 BURMA: OPPOSITION RADIO REPORT ALLEGES FRENCH OIL COMPANY EMPLOYS
MERCENARIES. 
Source: Oslo Democratic Voice of Burma in Burmese 1100 gmt 4 Nov 96
Text of report by Burmese opposition radio


There have been allegations for some time that foreign oil companies from
the Yatana natural gas pipeline project are cooperating closely with the
SLORC [State Law and Order Restoration Council] troops. It became evident
when a deserter - Private Soe Soe, age 24 years, Personal Number 765284 from
the 273 LIR's [Light Infantry Regiment] 4th Company - revealed that the
Total [French oil company] base camp personnel are hand in glove with the
SLORC's 273 LIR.
Pvt Soe Soe said Ohnbingwin Total base camp and the 273 LIR camp are located
opposite each other and not even 100 metres apart. Since the duty of the LIR
is to provide security for Total camp personnel the soldiers accompany the
Total officials whenever they travel. About two companies provide security
for each trip and the Total vehicles and the military vehicles mix together
and travel. Total officials are accompanied by French mercenaries and
despite supplying fuel and other rations Total also have to bribe the SLORC
company commanders.
The 273 LIR regimental commander, Maung Maung Than, is a buddy of the Total
officials and he spends most of his time at the Total officers' mess hall.
The military officers travel in Total cars and ammunition and rations for
the regiment are transported by Total helicopters. Although the regimental
commander and company commanders are well off, soldiers are finding hard to
make ends meet with a meagre salary of kyat 600 [Burmese monetary unit] so
Pvt Soe Soe took his wife and deserted.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts. 
BBC MONITORING SERVICE 
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: ASIA-PACIFIC 6/11/96 
Democratic Voice of Burma(DVB)
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Tel: 47-22-200021, Tel/fax:47-22-362525.
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