------------------------- BurmaNet --------------------------- "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" -------------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: 11 May 1995 Issue #170 -------------------------------------------------------------- Contents: BKK POST: SUU KYI WINS PRESTIGIOUS INDIAN AWARD BKK POST: THAILAND URGED TO MEET BURMESE OVER BORDER ROW BKK POST: TWO THAI TRAWLERS SEIZED BY BURMESE BKK POST: DEATH SENTENCES COMMUTED NATION: BORDER TENSION NOT TO AFFECT THE ASEAN STATUS OF RANGOON BKK POST: THAI TASK FORCE SEARCHES REFUGEE CAMPS, SEIZES MANY WAR WEAPONS REUTER: THAI FORCES SEIZE WEAPONS FROM KAREN REFUGEE CAMPS REUTER: TENSION ON THAI-BURMA BORDER AS NEW TROOPS MOVE IN NATION: MILITARY RAIDS KAREN CAMPS FOR WEAPONS TO COOL TENSIONS NATION: BORDER TENSION NOT TO AFFECT THE ASEAN STATUS OF RANGOON NLM: GOOD NEIGHBOUR 5 NLM: GOOD NEIGHBOUR 6 TV/RADIO: PRESS CONFERENCE -------------------------------------------------------------- o-------------------------------o The BurmaNet News is an | | electronic newspaper | Iti | covering Burma. 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Burma Issues is a Bangkok-based non-governmental organization that documents human rights conditions in Burma and maintains an archive of Burma-related documents. Views expressed in The BurmaNet News do not necessarily reflect those of either NCGUB or Burma Issues. -------------------------------------------------------------- ===== item ===== SUU KYI WINS PRESTIGIOUS INDIAN AWARD 11 May 1995 Burma's imprisoned pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has been named for one of Indian's most prestigious awards for promoting international understanding. Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, was named for the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for her struggle to bring peace and democracy to Burma, a statement from the Indian Council of Cultural Relations said. It did not say when the award would be given or who would receive it on behalf of Suu Kyi, who is spending her sixth year under house arrest. The jury that decide the award is headed by Indias vice-president, K.R. Narayanan. The award was announced on Monday and carries a cash prize of $48,300. Previous recipients of the award, named after Indian's first prime minister and independence leader, have included South Africa's Nelson Mandela and Germany's Helmut Kohl. (BP) ===== item ===== THAILAND URGED TO MEET BURMESE OVER BORDER ROW 11May 1995 House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Suthin Noppaket yesterday called for anurgent meeting between Thailand and Burma on the national level to settle the misunderstanding along the common border otherwise the situation might escalate. Mr Suthin made the comment after Colonel Kyaw Win, Burma's deputy military intelligence chief, early this week alleged that Thailand had provided support to anti-Rangoon groups operating along the common Thai-Burmese border. He urged Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai to step in and help resolve the problem which might turn explosive if left unattended. Mr Suthin said he was concerned the border situation could escalate because further attacks by the Thai military on Burmese territory would be used as a pretext for similar assaults by Rangoon troops. "There is no doubt that Burma would use the same pretext for an incursion into our territory," said the chairman. He said the Burmese allegation was totally unfounded, adding that if Burma continued to make unfounded accusations the Government should toughen its stance and raise the problem on the international stage. In a related development, Army Spokesman Col Palangkul Klaharn yesterday said Col Kyaw Win is now directly involved in the border issue. The army spokesman did not elaborate, but did say he was well-informed on the issue and would give details to the public in the near future. Commenting on Col Kyaw Win's claim that Burmese villagers were killed and six villagers' houses destroyed when the Thai military launched a counter-attack, Government Spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart yesterday said the Burmese Government should submit a formal protest over the incident. The spokesman said he disagreed with Mr Suthin's proposal, noting that there was still no need for government leaders of the two countries to hold talks on the issue. (BP) ===== item ===== TWO THAI TRAWLERS SEIZED BY BURMESE 11 May 1995 Two Thai trawlers were seized last Friday by a Burmese warship southwest of Payam island in Ranong Province, Third Fleet Commander Vice Admiral Sunan Pattanawong disclosed yesterday. He said he ordered a patrol boat which was patrolling in the area of Surin island to help the seized boats. The Nidanavee was seized about three nautical miles from Hallrassu island at 5 a.m. and an hour later the same warship seized another Thai trawler some four nautical miles from Sendor island. Both incidents occurred in Burmese territorial waters. The Third Fleet commander complained that the boat owners always omitted facts or gave only sketchy reports about the incidents to officials because most of their crewmen are Burmese and sometimes they illegally fished in the waters of neighbouring countries. (BP) ===== item ===== DEATH SENTENCES COMMUTED 11May 1995 A Burmese husband and wife convicted of heroin trafficking escaped the gallows on Tuesday when federal judges commuted their death sentences to life imprisonment. Mg Aye Wmdy, 51, and Mg Than Wmpy, 46, both Burmese, had been sentenced to death in February 1991 for trafficking 1.04 kilos of heroin in 1984 in Penang. The three-judge Federal Court ruled that their charge of trafficking should be downgraded to possession, which carries the lesser sentence. The judges also ordered Than Wmpy to be caned 10 times. Aye Wmdy will not be caned because it is illegal to cane people older than 50. Also Tuesday, the Federal Court commuted the death sentence of a 28-year-old Malaysian convicted of heroin trafficking. The prisoner, whose alias is Lee Ah Alick, was sentenced to life imprisonment for a charge of possession, and was to be caned 10 times. (TN) ===== item ===== BORDER TENSION NOT TO AFFECT THE ASEAN STATUS OF RANGOON 11 May 1995 The tension created incidents along the Thai-Burmese border will not affect the Asean decision to invite Rangoon to attend its annual meeting in July, a senior Foreign Ministry official said yesterday. "The current row is a matter between Thailand and Burma, not Asean, and we hope it is within our ability to settle it," Deputy Premanent Secretary Saroj Chavanavirat said. His statement came as political pressure groups in and outside the country mounted campaigns to internationalize the border incidents. "We do not want to see the kind of settlement that will give birth to another Bosnia," said Saroj. The ministry was engaged in high-level dialogue with Rangoon to try to bring about a solution to the border problems. The Burmese Ambassador to Thailand, U Tin Win, was summoned for discussions last Tuesday, he said. It was the seventh round of talks since the border issue flared last month. Details of the talks were not revealed, but Saroj said Thailand wanted national reconciliation in Burma through peaceful negotiation. He said the current developments should not be allowed to undermine the government's long-term policy to see Burma as a peaceful and prosperous neighbour. (TN) ===== item ===== THAI TASK FORCE SEARCHES REFUGEE CAMPS, SEIZES MANY WAR WEAPONS 11 May1995 About 400 members of a Thai border task force searched four rebel Burmese refugee camps in Tha Song Yang District yesterday and seized an array of was weapons. The search came only a day after the Burmese Defence Ministry claimed cooperation between the Thai military and Karen rebels was behind tension at the border. The task force comprising soldiers, Border Patrol policemen and rangers with the support of armoured personnel carriers and machinegun-mounted jeeps surrounded the refugee camps at Huay Ma Noke, Sho Klo, Kler Kho and Mae La before conducting the search. Military sources said the task members seized 47 M 16 and Ak 47 assault rifles, several grenade-launchers and two mortars along with 4,700 rounds of ammunition. Third Army Commander Surachet Dechatiwong said the search had been ordered following a tipoff that war weapons had been hidden at the refugee camps not and it wad feared that they would be used in illegal activities that will affect the lives and property of Thai resident along the border Lt-Gen Surachet told reporters he had never denied to existence of the weapons on Thai side. However, the Thai military would not be able to completely stop the flow of war weapons from entering the country because a large number of Karen National Union refugees had crossed into Thailand. "I am sure Burma will be happy with the action we took today as it will help deter any attempt by anti-Rangoon elements from using Thai soil to launch subversive activities in Burma," Lt-Gen Surachet said. The Third Army commander said the campaign to check war weapons at refugee camps along the border would continue. Lt-Gen Surachet insisted that Thai and Burmese military leaders have maintained good relations and have closely coordinated with one another on border problems. Meanwhile, Assistant Police Chief Prasarn Wongyai, overseeing the Sixth Region Provincial Police, said he has ordered the closure of more than 30 border passes along the Thai-Burmese border. The closure was aimed at putting pressure on local Burmese authorities to hand over six Burmese nationals who robbed Thai residents and shot dead one health official in Mae Sot District last week. Local police will start arresting illegal Burmese immigrants engaged in employment at the border town if the first measure fails to force local Burmese authorities to hand over the six robbers - one of whom is believed to be a soldier, he added. (BP) ===== item ===== THAI FORCES SEIZE WEAPONS FROM KAREN REFUGE MAE SOT, Thailand, May 10 (Reuter) Thailand moved to defuse tension on its border with Burma by sending troops on Wednesday to seize weapons belonging to Burmese Karen refugees camped inside Thai territory. Combined Thai forces launched a pre-dawn surprise search on the refugee camps inside Thailand, seizing large numbers of weapons hidden in the camps, officials said. ``The search is to reduce tension on the border and to demonstrate to our Burmese counterparts that we are sincere when we say we want to settle this problem,'' Lieutenant-General Surachet Dachatiwonge, the Thai army commander responsible for the border region, told reporters. He said the search would continue until the army was sure all weapons had been removed from the camps. More than 500 men were involved in the pre-dawn search on four refugee camps where officials confiscated seven rocket-propelled grenades, 16 M-16 rifles, 13 Kalishnikov rifles, four M-79 rocket launchers, three M-79 bomb launchers and 3,729 rounds of ammunition. The searches came a day after Rangoon and a Karen splinter group angrily accused Thailand of harboring Burmese guerrillas. ``The problems that have occurred on the Thai-Myanmar (Burma) border are a consequence of Thailand having harboured for various reasons terrorists who seek to oppose Myanmar,'' the Burmese embassy in Bangkok said late on Tuesday. The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), the Karen splinter group which claimed responsibility for harrassing the 74,000 Karen refugees living in camps in Thailand in recent weeks, also accused Thailand of sheltering guerrillas from the Christian-led, anti-Rangoon Karen National Union (KNU). In attempts to retrieve KNU weapons, the DKBA has raided and burned down more than 1,000 refugees' houses in the past two weeks, burning to death one refugee and injuring five. ``Tons of the weapons belonging to the KNU are hidden inside the refugees camps inside Thailand. We wanted those weapons and if the Thai army cannot give them to us we will go and get them ourselves,'' U Yanika, a Buddhist monk who is deputy to the DKBA's religious leader, told Reuters during a jungle camp interview earlier this week. ``The KNU used 14 elephants to transport weapons from their deserted camps to the refugees camps and hid them there. So when we raid the refugees camps the DKBA only wants to get the weapons and the guerrillas back to Burma,'' Toe Hlaing, the regional DKBA commander, told Reuters. The pro-Rangoon DKBA was formed in December by hundreds of Buddhist Karen guerrillas who mutinied against their mainy Christian leaders. Toe Hlaing said his leader had ordered a temporary halt to cross-border attacks to await the Thai reaction. The DKBA raids angered Thailand and prompted an official complaint to Burma's military ruling body. Thailand also moved in more than 1,000 reinforcements and a formidable array of military hardware to reinforce the frontier. Thai helicopters attacked a DKBA camp in Burma late last week, firing rockets into the rebel position on the northwestern Thai border. The KNU has been fighting since 1949 for autonomy from Rangoon. ===== item ===== TENSION ON THAI-BURMA BORDER AS NEW TROOPS MOVE IN BANGKOK, May 9 (Reuter) Tension on the Thai-Burmese border has increased with hundreds of Burmese government soldiers, who have threatened to shoot down Thai aircraft, being sent to the frontier, Thai army sources said on Tuesday. Fresh Burmese troops, equipped with heavy weapons, have been sent to various parts of Burma adjacent to the border with Thailand. ``At least 68 military trucks fully loaded with soldiers and equipment were sent north from Myawadi in the past few days,'' a Thai army source in Thailand's Tak province opposite the Burmese bordertown of Myawadi told Reuters. Late last month guerrillas backed by the Burmese government launched several cross-border raids on Karen refugee camps in Thailand, prompting Bangkok to send in more than 1,000 reinforcements. Another Thai army source, based in Chiang Rai province in northern Thailand opposite Burma's Shan state, said many Burmese troops had recently been sent to areas captured from guerrillas loyal to opium warlord Khun Sa. ``Their regional commanders have ordered them on 24-hour alert and to shoot down any aircraft that violates their airspace,'' the Thai army source told Reuters. ===== item ===== MILITARY RAIDS KAREN CAMPS FOR WEAPONS TO COOL TENSIONS 11.5.95/ The Nation SECURITY forces searched Karen refugee camps along the Northwestern border with Burma yesterday, seizing a variety of weapons in a move intended to ease tensions along the volatile frontier. The snap searches followed warnings from Rangoon that the problems on the border were the consequence of Thailand having harboured "for various reasons terrorists who seek to oppose Myanmar[Burma]". "Continued harbouring of such [anti-Slorc] elements will continue to precipitate problems,"the Burmese Ministry of Defence said in a statement issued in Bangkok by the Burmese embassy. The statement, quoting a press conference in Rangoon on Tuesday, also accused Thai military helicopters of attacking a monastery last Thursday and injuring innocent people. "At 10.20 am on May 4 a military coloured helicopter from the Thai side fired four rockets at the Thumwehta monastery and at 11 am another two military coloured choppers fired three rockets at the monastery as the result of which 15 innocent citizens were injured and six houses burned down, " it said. The statement denied that Rangoon backed the renegade Democratic Karen Buddhist Army [DKBA] . " The government of Myanmar has at no time become involved in these problems and has not, at any time, encourage any organization to oppose any neighbour,"it said. Yesterday's pre-dawn raids on four camps in Tak's Mae Sot district unearthed a large cache of weapons, including rocket- propelled grenades, machine guns and rifles, 3rd Army Region Commander Lt Gen Surachet Dechatiwongse said . " The search was intended to reduce tension on the border and to demonstrate to our Burmese counterparts that we are sincere when we say we want to settle this problem," Lt Gen Surachet said at a press conference. About 400 people from the police and Army searched Saikro, Baan Huay ManoK, Baan Koekoe and Baan Ma Hla camps. They confiscated five machine guns, four rocket launchers, 29 M-16 assault rifles, 18 other rifles, more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition and four hand grenades. Surachet said the snap searches would continue until the Army was sure all weapons had been removed from the camps. The DKBA, a splinter group of the KNU, has claimed responsibility for harassing the 74,0000 Karen refugees living in camps in Thailand in recent weeks. It claimed KNU sympathizers had smuggled in large numbers of weapons in the camps. More than 1,000 bamboo and thatch refugee houses have been burnt down in the past two weeks. One refugee was burned to death and five others injured. " Tonnes of weapons belonging to the KNU are hidden in the refugee camps inside Thailand. We wanted those weapons and if the Thai Army will not hand them over to us we will go and get them ourselves," U Yanika, a Buddhist monk who is deputy to the DKBA's religious leader, said during a jungle camp interview . The regional DKBA commander, Toe Hlaing, gave further details. " The KNU used 14 elephants to transport weapons from their deserted camps to the refugee camps and hid them there . So when we raid the refugee camps the DKBA only wants to get the weapons and the guerrillas back to Burma." he said. The pro-Rangoon DKBA was formed in December by hundreds of Buddhist Karen guerrillas who mutinied against the largely Christian leadership of the KNU . The DKBA raids angered the government, the military and the people of Thailand and prompted an official complaint to Burma's military ruling body, the State Law and Order Restoration Council [Slorc]. The security forces moved in more than 1,000 reinforcements and a formidable array of military hardware to the frontier. Army has announced that helicopters attacked a DKBA camp in Burma late last week , firing machine guns and rockets at the rebel position from Thai air space. Meanwhile, Karen refugees have begun moving farther into Thailand, away from the tense border , where Thai and Burmese troops remained on the alert, Agence France Press reported. A border source said yesterday that more than 1,000 refugees, fearing fresh raids, had shifted to Mae Lha camp, more than 10 km inland. Tha Song Yang district chief Panlop Sipa said there had been no official decision to relocate the refugees, but authorities had channelled them to Mae Lha when they indicated they intended to move anyway. Civilian and military officials said there had been no decision made on how to handle the refugees. They were weighing two options put forward by Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart. ===== item ===== BORDER TENSION NOT TO AFFECT THE ASEAN STATUS OF RANGOON 11.5.95/The Nation The tension created by incidents along the Thai-Burmese border will not affect the Asean decision to invite Rangoon to atten its annual meeting in Judy, a senior Foreign Ministry official said yesterday. " The current row is a matter between Thailand and Burma, not Asean, and we hope it is within our ability to settle it," Deputy permanent Secretary Saroj Chavanavirat said. His statement came as political pressure groups in and outside the country mounted campaigns to internationalize the border incidents. " We do not want to see the kind of settlement that will give birth to another Bosnia," said Saroj. The ministry was engaged in high-level dialogue with Rangoon to try to bring about a solution to the Border problems. The Burmese Ambassador to Thailand, U Tin Win, was summoned for discussions last Tuesday ,he said. It was he seventh round of talks since the border issue flared last month. Details of the talks were not revealed, but Saroj said Thailand wanted national reconciliation in Burma through peaceful negotiation. He said the current developments should not be allowed to undermine the government's long-term policy to see Burma as a peaceful and prosperous neighbour. ===== item ===== GOOD NEIGHBOUR 5 The New Light of Myanmar Newspaper 04 May 1995 The refugee camp dealt with earlier has a connotation different from the real. It must be added here that in the real sense a refugee camp means a safe haven into which the KNU forces can move and seek sanctuary when they feel that they could not stand the ground and must retreat in the face of Tatmadaw offensives often launched. In those camps the KNU brazenly sport their arms. However, the responsible Thai Ministry of the Interior just looked the other way. The KNU insurgents formed the Karen Refugee Committee through which it sought assistance from humanitarian organizations in Thailand. According to the statement of the Thai Ministry of Interior in 1982, there then were 12 insurgent refugee camps, which later swelled to 23. Located in Thailand, they are known as Mae Ye Hta, U Da Hta, Khlo Pa, Mae Sa Gupe, Mae Kong Kha, Huai Heng, Mae Ra Ma Luang, Mae Ta Waw, Mae Salit, Shoklo, Klay Mo Hta, Kler Kho, Kamaw Lay Kho, Mae La, Don Pa Kiang, Wangka, Mawker, Ta Per Poo, Nong Luang, Noh Pa Htaw Wa, Meteroke, Hti Hla Baw and Nga Pyaw Dor Village. The organization giving the most aid to these camps is the Consortium of Christian Agencies which includes 13 other groups, namely the Church of Christ in Thailand (CCT), Thailand Baptist Missionary Fellowship (TBMF), Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS), Inter Aid International (IA), International Rescue Committee (IRC), ZOA Refugee Care Netherlands (ZOA), Catholic Relief Service (CRS), World Vision Foundation of Thailand (WVFT), Compassion International, Japan Sotushu Relief Committee (JSRC), Committee Aid Abroad, Japan International Volunteer Centre (JVC) and Food for the Hungry International (FHI). The majority of these organizations are religious, and they belong to Britain, America, Japan, the Netherlands, France, Monaco and Thailand. However, the funds, instead of going to the civilian refugees, fall into the hands of the Karen Refugee Committee. The assistance thus diverted meant aid for the prolonging of the KNU insurgents tenure. It is learnt that the assistance of the Consortium of Christian Agencies till June 1992 amounted to over 1.9 million US dollars. Now, to deal with some matters of current interest on the border. In the so-called KNU refugee camps, the majority of the Christian KNUs have been forcibly preventing the Buddhist Kayin families from returning to Myanmar interior. So, when the DKBO went to call their relatives, the families there to return to areas where they would be safe to resettle, they clash with the KNUs who are still armed, on Thai territory. In a pamphlet issued on 26 April 1995, the KNU insurgents maintained that those who came to the refugee camps and attacked them were not only the DKBO but also included Tatmadawmen. The KNU also said that on April 19,23,24 and 25, forces including more Tatmadawmen and less DKBO entered the KNU refugee camps in the other country and took away some refugees. Based on those reports, Thai newspapers and external media such as the BBC and VOA erroneously accused the Tatmadaw of entering Thailand, attacking refugee camps and taking away some people. In its morning broadcast on Friday, 28 April, the VOA said: "The Thais have demanded an explanation from the Myanmar Government concerning repeated entry across Thai border and attacking Myanmar refugee camps. Thai Foreign Minister Surin said the Thai Government is trying to obtain a guarantee that such acts would cease. Mr Surin said an official protest would be made regarding an attack on a camp Tuesday". According to a report in a Thai newspaper on 1 May, a DKBO officer of captain rank, called Tu Na, told newsmen that DKBU entry into Thailand and attack on the so-called refugee camp as he saw it, is not an insult to Thailand. He said that as the Christian KNU's could brandish their arms and go about in Thailand, he as a Kayin, was only attacking those KNUs. (Translation) ===== item ===== GOOD NEIGHBOUR 6 The New Light of Myanmar Newspaper 05 May 1995 What appeared in the 30 April 1995 issue of the Bangkok Post was a statement by Thai Army Chief General Wimol Wongwanich. He said the best solution to the problem surrounding Kayin refugees along the border was to push them all back into Myanmar. Furthermore, he said: "If we were not afraid of being criticized by the world community on humanitarian grounds and if it would not give the country problems, then this Army chief would take only one week to push them all out regardless of how many hundreds of thousands of the Kayins were now in the country". The Army chief also added that another way to solve the problem would be to remove all the Kayin refugees from various camps and put them together in one large camp located deeper inside the country, with a fence of barbed wire and landmines, again adding Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart has voiced support for Gen Wimol's idea. Myanmar Tatmadaw has said it had never made incursions into the other country and that accusations to that effect were false concoctions. As a matter of fact, they have accepted on their territory those terrorists which have revolted against and opposed all governments in succession in the so-called refugee camps, allowed them to go about armed, and have sought external assistance---acts we have ignored for over half a century. Because of the forays they made from these bases at random Myanmar nationals have had to suffer, hundreds and thousands of Myanmar citizens losing life and limb. The DKBO, which had split from the KNU have these days been going to these camps to call members of their families, and when they were stopped by the armed KNU, there were clashes. Now, the Myanmar Government and the Tatmadaw, which have nothing whatsoever to do with that, are being unjustly accused. As if that were true, the external media have been going along, making similar accusations. How disgusting. More despicable is the incident on 20 March 1995 when thugs of drug-trafficking terrorist Khun Sa entered Myanmar through Mesai on the Thai side and attacked Tachilek. Repulsed by the Tatmadaw and security personnel, the miscreants made hasty retreat into Thailand. The Thai authorities were said to have disarmed them and released them on humanitarian grounds. Although the Myanmar side asked repeatedly that they be returned, the authorities on the other side paid no attention and released them. In this connection, Secretary-1 of the State Law and Order Restoration Council told the concluding session of Refresher Course No 15 for Teachers that "Myanmar, in addition to strictly adhering to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and never sought to harm any neighbour. However, looking at the Tachilek incident makes it difficult to gauge the neighbour's attitude toward Myanmar". Our State leaders are very magnanimous. In mentioning our neighbour, due to deference for mutual friendship, they have not used "Thailand", and instead referred to it as "neighbouring country" or "the other country". Our leaders have acted in accord with the Thingasa Sayadaw's exhortation "Bingalawwada Hsonemasar" which concerns good friendship. They have adhered to it and have been magnanimous. The Thai Government has put up a farce concerning "refugees", who are in fact resorting to all sorts of trouble-making for our nation, terrorists and destructionists. It must here be said that a review of Thai attittude toward such people is in order. What merits saying here is that a considerate and positive atitude should be present. It is to be suggested that the entire situation be reassessed for furtherance of mutual friendship and a decision be made on a straight course to be set for the future. In conclusion, a quotation of Nyaungbintha U Ponnya's exhortation "Thutayadana Hsonemasar" on good friendship must be heeded. May they be worthy good neighbours. (Translation) ===== item ===== PRESS CONFERENCE Held at Myanma Television and Radio Department on 09 May 1995 The Myanmar-Thai border runs 2,096 kilometres, with a formidable terrain and dense forest cover. Taking advantage of this, many terrorist groups have, for many years, lived along the border, with Thailand as their lifeline. Among those organizations are Khun Sa's drug-trafficking terrorist Mong Tai Army (MTA), active in the Shan State in Myanmar and along the Thai border, as also the others based on the border like the Karen National Union (KNU), the National Council of Union of Burma (NCUB), the Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB), the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), the National Democratic Front (NDF), the National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) (NLD-LA), the All-Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF), the All-Burma Muslim Union (ABMU), the Muslim Liberation Organization (MLO), the Democratic Patriotic Army (DPA), the New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), among others, based on the Thai border and engaged in opposition against the Myanmar Government. Likewise, there are those similarly engaged, such as the Overseas National Students of Burma (ONSOB), the Alliance for Democratic Solidarity Union of Burma (ADSB), the Committee for Restoration of Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB), the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), the National Democratic Front (NDF), the National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) (NLD-LA), the All-Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF), the All-Burma Muslim Union (ABMU), the Muslim Liberation Organization (MLO), the Democratic Patriotic Army (DPA), the New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), among others, based on the Thai border and engaged in opposition against the Myanmar Government. Just as terrorist organizations are based in camps small and big on the Thai border, there are also over 30 so-called refugee camps established by the terrorists within Thai territory. There have been attacks by the Khun Sa drug-trafficking terrorists like the one launched through Maesai, Thailand, on Tachilek on 20 March 1995. When our Tatmadaw launched offensives against the drug-traffickers posing danger to the entire humanity, such as in Mongkyawt, Mongtaw Monghta, and Pattumein, Baja, Loilang Kaungmu areas west of Tachilek, the terrorists, with refuge in Thailand, brought in reinforcements of manpower and material to Homein and Loilam through the Maesareng and Hintek routes in Thailand. With regard to the DKBO, they are the former KNU members, they are the group that split from the KNU due to Bo Mya's mistakes in leadership and his extremist and shortsighted acts which they as Buddhists found unbearable. The DKBO still have not returned to the legal fold. They are attacking the KNU camps in Thailand and bringing their relatives back from there (NCUB), the Democratic Alliance of Burma (DAB), the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), the National Democratic Front (NDF), the National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) (NLD-LA), the All-Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF), the All-Burma Muslim Union (ABMU), the Muslim Liberation Organization (MLO), the Democratic Patriotic Army (DPA), the New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), among others, based on the Thai border and engaged in opposition against the Myanmar Government. Likewise, there are those similarly engaged, such as the Overseas National Students of Burma (ONSOB), the Alliance for Democratic Solidarity Union of Burma (ADSB), the Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma (CRDB), and others based in Bangkok and Chiangmai and are engaged in opposition activities, bent on subversion, with Thailand as their lifeline. Just as terrorist organizations are based in camps small and big on the Thai border, there are also over 30 so-called refugee camps established by the terrorists within Thai territory. There have been attacks by the Khun Sa drug-trafficking terrorists like the one launched through Maesai, Thailand, on Tachilek on 20 March 1995. When our Tatmadaw launched offensives against the drug-traffickers posing danger to the entire humanity, such as in Mongkyawt, Mongtaw Monghta, and Pattumein, Baja, Loilang Kaungmu areas west of Tachilek, the terrorists, with refuge in Thailand, brought in reinforcements of manpower and material to Homein and Loilam through the Maesareng and Hintek routes in Thailand. With regard to the DKBO, they are the former KNU members, they are the group that split from the KNU due to Bo Mya's mistakes in leadership and his extremist and shortsighted acts which they as Buddhists found unbearable. The DKBO still have not returned to the legal fold. They are attacking the KNU camps in Thailand and bringing their relatives back from there to Myainggyingu. Altogether over 10,000 members of families of the DKBO have settled in the interior of Myanmar, having returned from the so-called refugee camps after having stayed there. Bo Mya does not favour the return of these DKBO families to their own country. As he could not fight the DKBO and win, he is giving the families trouble, stopping them in collusion with the people in charge of the camps from returning peacefully to their country. The DKBO tried to see to their relatives being allowed to go in peace, reasoning with those in charge. Since Bo Mya was adamant in keeping those who might return in peace and resorted to force, the DKBO, it is known, employed guerilla tactics and entered the camps and took away some of the KNU leaders. These problems have occurred as a result of the disintegration of the KNU. It is known that some radio stations reported on the clashes that have occurred as a consequence of the problems, between the DKBO and armed Thais. On May 1, 1995, 24 82mm shells were directed at Manerplaw in Myanmar from Hwebalu village in Thailand. At 1020 hours on 04 May, a military coloured helicopter from the Thai side fired four rockets at the Thumwehta monastery, and at 1100 hours another two military coloured choppers fired three rockets at the monastery, as a result of which 15 innocent citizens were injured and six houses burned down. In fact the problems that arose were the consequence of differences among the KNU who resided on the Thai side for many years. The Government of Myanmar had at no time become involved in these problems and had not, at any time, encouraged any organization to oppose any neighbour. Myanmar has strictly adhered to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, which are (1) mutual respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, (2) non-aggression, (3) non-interference in another's internal affairs, (4) equality, and (5) peaceful coexistence. The problems that have occurred on the Thai-Myanmar border are a consequence of Thailand having harboured for various reasons terrorists who seek to oppose Myanmar. Continued harbouring of such elements will continue to precipitate similar problems. In dealing with other countries Myanmar has sought to forget events of history and has always respected and abided by the saying "Prolong amity and diminish enmity" and if Thailand would act similarly, no problem would arise. The Myanmar and Thai Armed Forces have been working amicably based on mutual respect and understanding. In conclusion, it is to be said that the DKBO problems that have cropped up on the Thai border are a consequence of harbouring insurgents who split due to differences among themselves. Myanmar continues to adhere to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence agreed in Bandong and desires eternal Thai-Myanmar amity. Press conference held at Myanma Television and Radio Department on 09 May 1995 -------------------------------------------------------------- BURMANET SUBJECT-MATTER RESOURCE LIST BurmaNet regularly receives enquiries on a number of different topics related to Burma. The scope of the subjects involved is simply too broad for any one person to cover. BurmaNet is therefore organizing a number of volunteer coordinators to field questions on various subjects. 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