KAREN REBELS ATTACK BURMESE DEPLOYM

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: KAREN REBELS ATTACK BURMESE DEPLOYMENT


KAREN REBELS ATTACK BURMESE DEPLOYMENT
16.6.97/THAILAND TIMES

MAE HONG S()N: Fierce fighting broke out in Burma over the
weekend when Karenni rebels attacked government forces in Kayah
state following the deployment of additional troops in the area,
a border source said yesterday.

The clashes occurred on Friday and Saturday when dozens of
Karenni (Kayah) rebels ambushed Burmese soldiers who had just
been posted to the Karenni-controlled area. Nine soldiers were
killed in the skirmish, seven from the junta and two from the
minority group. 

A senior officer of the ethnic Karenni group said the Burmese
junta had deployed four battalions in the area early this month
in an attempt to resolve a long-standing logging dispute with the
ethnic Karenni groups.

However, the Karenni officer said negotiations could only proceed
on the condition that the junta retreated all its 24 battalions
from the area, and that talks should take place in a third
country.

He said senior Karenni leaders had similar talks with the junta
two years ago to resolve the logging dispute. He said, however,
that after the meeting, many of the ethnic leaders were diagnosed
as being ill from food poisoning, adding that is why the next
round of meetings should be held in another country .