The Nation - Border villagers warne

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Subject: The Nation - Border villagers warned

The Nation - Sep 7, 1999.
Border villagers warned

LOCAL officials yesterday instructed villagers at a border village in Mae
Hong Son province to stay in their houses and turn off the lights after 9 pm
amid reports that Burmese dissidents are planning an uprising to replicate
bloody protests 11 years ago in Rangoon.

The instructions for villagers at Baan Mae Sam Lap in the province's Sop
Moei district came into force yesterday and will be effective until Friday,
the village's deputy chief Sukhumbhand Charoenwongsa said.

''We have received confirmed reports that Burmese dissidents and the
anti-Rangoon movement are now very active along the Salween River,'' he
said. ''So to protect our people, we have issued the instruction for
villagers to stay home and turn off lights after 9 pm,'' he added.

The villagers are also instructed to stay away from the Thai-Burma border
during the period to avoid any misunderstanding.

The Burmese dissidents have said they are planning civil unrest on Sept 9,
or 9/9/99, to replicate protests 11 years ago on Aug 8, 1988, or 8/8/88,
when hundreds of pro-democracy protesters were gunned down and a junta took
power from dictator Gen Ne Win.

Meanwhile Gen Bo Mya, leader of the Karen National Union, warned in a letter
to leaders of anti-Rangoon Burmese movements of possible attacks by
pro-Rangoon Democratic Karen Buddhist Army on Sept 8.

Bo Mya also claimed the Burmese government may assign the DKBA to attack
camps for displaced Burmese which are on the Thai soil on that day.

The Nation