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Subject: Subject: Re: Thai Army Interfering with Ethnic Groups Freedoms
  in Burma
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Dear friends

Please checkout the following article by Rangoon Post which makes crystal
clear that the Thai army is interfering in Burmese internal affairs.If not
what else? There are many more incidents that the media don't know and we
don't know.

What about ASEAN"s golden rules of non interfering into members' states?
Obviously the rule conveniently doesn't apply in this particular
case.Because it suits ASEAN ruling elites.

I am sick of ASEAN politics.They are the politics rotten fish.
We can not rely on them to achieve real democracy in Burma.They are on the
other side.
We must change them all once we have the democracy in Burma.It is necessary.



Best regards

Panyoma,Syd




----- Original Message -----
To: <burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, August 13, 1999 10:31 PM
Subject: Thai Army Interfering with Ethnic Groups Freedoms in Burma


> Thai Army Interfering with Ethnic Groups Freedoms in Burma
>
> ''We could have taken Mannaplaw back but the Thai army
> refused to return our weapons,''
> --Comments from Bo Mya of the KNU--
>
> Rangoon Post Note
>
>    Out of Fear of Burma's junta, self preservation and lack of
> understanding the Thai army directly and indrirectly is interfering with
> the seperate ethnic groups' freedoms by preventing them from defending
> themselves, attacking them as they defend themselves from attacks by the
> Burmese Tatmadaw and preventing retreats for safety from battles and
> junta violent tactics.
>
> ---- -  - - - -
> Karen Freedom Fighters vow to continue resistance
>
> The Nation
>
> VALAY KEE, Burma -- Ethnic Karen rebels yesterday
> celebrated their Martyr's Day 47th anniversary by vowing
> to fight on in the face of growing difficulties.
>
> ''We honour this day by commemorating our fallen leaders
> and all those who have sacrificed their lives in the
> resistance, in defence of Karen people and Karen land,''
> said Gen Bo Mya, the fourth leader of the Karen National
> Union (KNU).
>
> Speaking to soldiers and local Karen villagers, some of
> who came from refugee camps on the Thai side, the
> greying, burly general who has led the union since the
> 1970s urged his people to ''continue to struggle on in
> order to free our people from oppression, tyranny, injustice
> and domination''.
>
> Yesterday's event took place on the bank of a small creek
> that separates Tak province from Burma's Karen State.
> Similar events took place at other National Union camps,
> most of which are scattered along the rugged
> Thai-Burmese border.
>
> ''There are eight to ten million Karens scattered throughout
> Burma. It is essential that these people have their own
> nation, and are not subjected to the oppressive rule of the
> ethnic Burmese, Bo Mya said.
>
> Over 100,000 Burmese refugees, mostly Karen, have fled
> to Thailand over the years to escape what they say is an
> ethnic cleansing campaign by the Burmese junta.
>
> Bo Mya insisted that the morale of his army is still strong
> despite set backs in recent years when splinter groups
> emerged and a number of the rebel's top brass defected
> or laid down their arms.
>
> The Burmese junta, which opened up its once hermit
> country to foreign investments a decade ago, has been
> slowly gaining acceptance in the international community
> with its admission in 1997 into the Association of
> Southeast Asian Nations.
>
> In the past five years, the Burmese government has
> launched successive offensives against the Karen,
> overrunning its long-time headquarters at Mannaplaw and
> other major positions and forcing them into a guerrilla war.
>
> Though the guerrillas have been doing well for the rebel
> army, Bo Mya said he still would like to build a main
> stronghold.
>
> ''We could have taken Mannaplaw back but the Thai army
> refused to return our weapons,'' he said.
>
> According to a KNU senior officer, Thai troops had seized
> over 500 assault rifles from KNU soldiers as they
> retreated across the border when the government troops
> overran the stronghold five years ago. Nevertheless, the
> junta is still unable to finish off Bo Mya's battle-hardened
> men.
>
> A number of ceasefire talks were initiated over the past
> years but have so far produced no results.
>
> ''We're ready for ceasefire talks with the Burmese
> anytime. But it must be understood that we will never
> surrender our arms,'' Bo Mya said.
>
> The latest round of ceasefire talks was held last year
> between the Karen leaders and the junta, headed by Col
> Kyaw Thein, a senior official under the command of the
> powerful security boss Lt Gen Khin Nyunt, but no real
> progress has been achieved, Bo Mya said.
>
> The 72-year-old leader said he has no plans to retire and
> insisted that the splinter group, the Democratic Karen
> Buddhist Army, no longer poses any problem for the KNU.
>
> Bo Mya dismissed a recent statement from the authorities
> in Kanchanaburi province who claimed that the United Wa
> State Army, one of the world's largest armed drug
> trafficking groups from the Golden Triangle, has set up
> positions near his area.
>
> ''Narcotics are the work of the devil,'' Bo Mya said.
>
> Yesterday's event commemorated the death of the KNU's
> first leader, Saw Ba U Gyi, who was gunned down by
> Burmese soldiers.
>
> The KNU came into existence in 1947 and an armed
> struggle began in 1949. The group has established
> military alliances with other armed rebel groups, including
> the Shan State Army and the Karenni National People's
> Party.
>
> BY DON PATHAN
>
>