BKK Post.February 25, 1998 BORDER

[burma@xxxxxxxxxx]

February 25, 1998
BORDER

Hundreds flee Rangoon-SSA fighting
Refuge taken in area of Pang Yon Village
Subin Khuenkaew and Supamart Kasem

Over 400 ethnic minority people have fled fighting in Burma between 
Rangoon troops and Shan State Army guerrillas to Pang Ma Pha district, 
according to Mae Hong Son police.

They took refuge in an area near Pang Yon Village in Tambon Na Poo Pong, 
Pang Ma Pha district under escort of some 400 armed SSA troops, who 
later set up camp in a border area opposite Yon Village.

The move follows the fighting between Burmese soldiers and SSA rebels 
near drug warlord Khun Sa's former stronghold Ho Mong in Burma and the 
Burmese troops' operation to push Burmese minorities living in ten 
villages of Ho Mong town to other areas.

The SSA rebels, dissatisfied with Khun Sa's surrender to the Burmese 
government, are moving against Rangoon opposite Chiang Mai and Mae Hong 
Son, and are believed to have joined forces with another Shan group led 
by Chao Lern Hoeng to seize Ho Mong from Burmese troops.

In another development, Burmese authorities reportedly published the 
news that Khun Sa is suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes and 
has been admitted to a hospital in Rangoon. Meanwhile, some 30 armed 
men, believed to be members of the pro-Rangoon Democratic Karen Buddhist 
Army forces, robbed a border market and made off with cash and goods 
worth more than 500,000 baht yesterday in Tak province.

A border official said the bandits, brandishing M16 and AK47 rifles, M79 
grenade launchers and RPG rockets, surrounded a the market in Ban Mae 
Salit of Tambon Mae Salit in Tha Song Yang district at about 1.45 a.m. 
and robbed four electric appliance shops of cash, 200 watches and other 
merchandise.

The robbers also injured the market's security guard, identified only as 
Tapi, before escaping to Burma, the source added.

The market is located only 100-200 metres from a checkpoint manned by 
local and border patrol police and rangers.

According to the source, the robbers were believed to be DKBA men led by 
Capt Maung Tin Aye who had earlier sent threatening letters to many of 
the market merchants demanding protection fee.

Last Tuesday, a police officer was killed when at least 20 unidentified 
bandits set fire to a police checkpoint at kilometre marker 152 on the 
Mae Sot-Mae Sariang Highway in Ban Klo Manae in Tambon Tha Song Yang.

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