------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: August 5, 1997 Issue #789 Noted in Passing: Daw Suu Kyi has turned into a venomous cobra! At a touch, she will rear her head, bite and transmit her venom. She will let the people die of her venom. - SLORC writer (see NLM: SAFEGUARD THE RACE!) HEADLINES: ========== THE ASIAN AGE: REFUGEES CRISIS IN BANGLA AS 14,000 CROSS NATION: THE COLLAPSE OF BURMA'S ECONOMY BKK POST: NO-WIN BATTLE AGAINST DRUGS FROM BURMA NCGUB: CABINET MEETING AT FREDERIKSDAL, DENMARK NCGUB: BURMA'S NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT MEETS KNU: APPEAL TO GOVERNMENTS OF DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: "SAFEGUARD THE RACE!" BKK POST: BURMA POWER IMPORT PLAN FACES OPPOSITION NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: MINISTER INSPECTS PIPELINE LAYING NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: UMNO DELEGATION OF MALAYSIA KNU: BATTLE NEWS PRESS RELEASES 41/97, 42/97, 43/97 SHAN: SURA BATTLE NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT: 8/8/97: INVITATION TO ADELAIDE CITY ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- THE ASIAN AGE: REFUGEES CRISIS IN BANGLA AS 14,000 CROSS FROM BURMA August 4 , 1997 Dhaka, Aug. 3: A group representing Burmese Muslims, who fled alleged persecution in Burma, claimed on Sunday that more refugees would flow into Bangladesh unless their security could be guaranteed. The Rohingya Solidarity Organisation claimed on Sunday that up to 14,000 new Burmese Muslims had already crossed the border into Bangladesh since June because of persecution from Burmese forces and for "economic" reasons. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees put the number of Burmese Muslims, known as Rohingyas, at 7,000, while the Bangladesh government officially puts their numbers at "several thousand." The UNHCR described the new Rohingyas arrivals as both "economic and political" migrants. The six-page "Rohingya Sangbad" newsletter said, "between 12,000 and 14,000 entered Bangladesh during the past two months. These people fled to Bangladesh after facing a famine forcing them to live in virtual hunger," it said, adding in recent days prices of essential and food commodities have sky-rocketed. (AFP) **************************************************** NATION: THE COLLAPSE OF BURMA'S ECONOMY August 4, 1997 excerpts by Bertil Lintner [BurmaNet Editor: This article is an expanded version of FEER: PAPER TIGER, which we printed in BurmaNet yesterday. Therefore, we have only included excerpts here which did not appear in the FEER article] The illusion of a boom is fading fast as currency turmoil and despair overwhelm the population, Bertil Lintner reports. Aung Myint says the busy street scenes of commerce outside his trading offices in downtown Rangoon are not as constructive as they seem. Those with money are buying, but what motivates them is not consumerism, it is despair. "People want to get rid of their kyats but the only thing they can buy at the moment are consumer goods, video players and such. There are no dollars to buy, or gold," says he trader. People began to realise there was a crisis when the supermarkets removed price stickers from all their goods. "No one knows what to charge for imported items because no one knows any longer what the Burmese currency is worth," says a Rangoon resident. Analysts say the country is now facing its worst economic crisis since 1988 - an explosive situation brought on by gross government mismanagement. While the value of the kyat is the most blatant proof of crisis, the roots run far deeper. The government has overspent to the point that it has begun stealing from its citizens, denying them access to their foreign exchange accounts or gold, because it no longer has the money to repay their deposits. As Asean welcomes the country as a new member, it may yet be shocked to find just how much of a political and economic basket-case it has taken on. A few years ago, people thought Burma the verge of an economic boom. There were more cars in the streets than ever before, the shops were well-stocked with various luxury goods - VCRs, foreign liquor and clothes - and new buildings were going up all over Rangoon. But that mini-boom is exactly what has caused the collapse of the Burmese currency, according to both the International Monetary Fund and independent economic analysts. "There was no real growth, no production. Rangoon was little more than a Potemkin village," says Josef Silverstein, professor emeritus at Rutgers University, in the United States. Meanwhile, attempts to restore Burma's rice exports to their pre-World War II glory have failed miserably. According to official government statistics, a $198 million worth of rice was exported in fiscal 1994-95, up from $44 million the year before. But in 1995-96, it fell to $78 million and dropped to $47 million in 1996-97. Insect plagues destroyed about a third of the 1996 rice harvest, and, as the IMF puts it, "problems related to procurement, of crops, agricultural pricing, and export policies" remained as constraints to fuller development of the agricultural sector. At the same time, the government's meagre resources were spent on purchasing an estimated $200 million worth of military hardware annually, while the health and education sectors saw their budgets reduced in relative terms. "Where are the future professional and managerial classes in Burma?" asked the source rhetorically. "Educational standards are abysmal." Further, the schools have been closed off and on since the Slorc took over in 1988. They closed again after anti-government street demonstrations in December last year, and have yet to be reopened Officially, 23.8 billion kyats was spent on defence in 1996-97, or 39.7 per cent of total governmental operating expenditures - compared to 6.6 billion for education and 2.3 billion for health. And even so. the IMF report states that "official estimates of military expenditure are believed to be underestimated as some spending, especially on military imports, takes place outside the budget." But the real crunch came when by mid 1996 the government was running out of money. "That was when the government resorted to stealing people's money," says a Western diplomatic source. Until late 1995, the country's reserves of foreign currency had exceeded the private sector's deposits of foreign currency, as is normal. But in March 1996, IMF figures. show, the figures reversed. Private claims rose to the equivalent of 1.9 billion kyat, while there was only 1.8 billion in the national coffers. Between April and June, the government resorted to the printing press, produced more paper money - and bought up both dollars and FECs from the open market. Then, in June 1996, people holding FEC accounts were told that they would get both interest on their savings - and there would no longer be a 10 per cent tax on withdrawals. "The outcome was a rush to the banks," says the Rangoon-based economic analyst. "But three weeks later, the government made it impossible for people to withdraw their savings." By last September, private claims to the foreign exchange reserves had risen to 2.2 billion kyat, compared to only 1.2 billion in actual assets. In any other country, a similar sequence of events would have become a major crisis in a matter of days. "But because of the lack of transparency and accurate market information in Burma, it took almost a year before the final collapse came," the source said. During the first quarter of this year, even more kyat was printed - and when Burma by mid-year experienced its usual slump in agricultural exports due to the end of the harvesting season and the advent of the rains, the bubble finally burst. The government's countermoves are coordinated by a newly formed monetary stabilisation committee headed by Burma's intelligence chief, Lt Gen Khin Nyunt. But its actions so far have provided more worries than solutions. Unable to understand what was going on, the authorities began rounding up prominent business people, including Thein Tun, the vice chairman of the Myanmar Chamber of Commerce who once held the Pepsi-Cola franchise for Burma, and many other private merchants to find out whether they were "manipulating the market" by hoarding dollars. The move was totally counterproductive: food prices shot up as the kyat became almost worthless. ********************************************************* BKK POST: NO-WIN BATTLE AGAINST DRUGS FROM BURMA August 4, 1997 (abridged) by Subin Khernkaewin Mae Sai, Chiang Rai 2 MILLION SPEED PILLS SEIZED IN SIX MONTHS Police here are fighting a no-win war in their desperate attempt to stem the influx of amphetamine from Burma. In the past six months, two million amphetamine tablets were confiscated in this northern province alone according to Pol Col Panurat Meepien, the provincial police superintendent. But the seized drug accounted for just a fraction of the actual amount of the speed pills which were smuggled into the country, particularly through the Mae Sai-Tachilek border. Half of the 100-man police force in this district have been assigned fulltime to combat the amphetamine menace. But with 100-km land border which is largely unfenced and mountainous, plus 30 kilometres long of river which demarcates the border between the two countries, even a whole division of police force will not be able to supervise the frontier effectively, let alone 50 men. Pol Col Panurat admitted that traffickers could cross the border unnoticed at any time. He said that several small-time traffickers used the bridge, the only legal border point, to smuggle in amphetamines. About 2,000 people cross the bridge daily from both sides on normal days and the number increases to over 10,000 on weekends or during long holidays. Informants, therefore, play a vital role in drug interdiction. The officer said one of his informants was a former Burmese heroin addict whom he once helped to get treatment at the district hospital several years ago. At present, he added that informant was a big amphetamine supplier in Tachilek who owns a big house and several cars. According to the officer, this Burmese informant had helped arrange the escape from Burma to Yunnan southern China, of a Chinese man. Three months afterward, the Chinese man mailed a parcel to the informant. "In the parcel, there were 50,000 baht in Thai currency plus 50,000 amphetamine tablets. A brief note from the sender said he had set up an amphetamine factory near the Chinese-Burmese border with 200 men in his employment. The sender also said he could supply him any amount of amphetamine he would want," said the officer. He further said most big amphetamine traders in Tachilek did not keep the drug in their houses. "They simply took orders and arranged the drug to be delivered to the buyers." According to the superintendent, about 10 amphetamine factories are operating in Tachilek, mostly located about 10 kilometres from the town and under the control of the Wa tribesmen. The traders who are actually the middlemen receive one-baht commission for each tablet sold if a consignment of more than 10,000 tablets was ordered. The commission would be reduced if the amount ordered was lower. The police officer said there were about 20 such middlemen in Mae Sai and Tachilek. "These people could be easily noticed because they became rich very quickly without any decent business," he noted. He disclosed that when a big consignment of drugs was delivered to a Thai trader, the Burmese informant would tip off the Thai police by giving the name of the buyer, describing how the trader dressed or the type of the car used to carry the drug. After getting the information, the police would make the arrest at the border checkpoint or follow the car to make the arrest at road checkpoints in the province or make the arrest when the drug was delivered to the buyer, he said. ************************************************************ NCGUB: CABINET MEETING AT FREDERIKSDAL, DENMARK July 31, 1997 We, the representatives of the people of Burma, elected in the 27 May 1990 general elections, meeting Frederiksdal, Denmark, as ministers of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, hereby - Thank the Royal Danish Government and the Danish Burma Committee for making it possible for all of us to meet together in safety and freedom to plan for the restoration of democracy and national unity in Burma; Thank the Dialogue partners of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), especially Australia, Canada, the European Union, New Zealand, and the United States of America, for their continued strong support for the aspirations of the people of Burma, and for their untiring efforts in trying to bring about much needed political change in Burma; Call on ASEAN leaders to exercise their responsibility now that they have accepted Burma as a member, to help bring about political change in Burma; Call on ASEAN to initiate dialogue with the 1990 election winning party led by Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the ethnic leaders of Burma, and the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma; Call on ASEAN to closely monitor the situation in Burma and along its borders, and help alleviate the suffering of the people of Burma, both in the cities where political activists are being severely restricted and in the ethnic areas where mass forced relocations , mass forced labour and summary executions are taking place on a large scale; Call on Burma's neighbours, especially China and India, in the interest of regional security, to help the Burmese people find a political solution and bring about national reconciliation and stability; Call on Japan, other aid donors, and international financial institutions, to refrain from making the situation in Burma worse by giving aid or encouraging investments until democracy is restored; Re-affirm our position that political problems must be resolved by political means and Call on the international community to enable the Burmese military, the democracy movement led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and Burma's ethnic peoples to hold a tripartite dialogue; Re-affirm our commitment to the principles of non-violent struggle; Re-affirm our determination to implement the will of the Burmese people as expressed in the 1990 general elections, to establish a democracy; Re-affirm our commitment to establishment of a genuine federal union, based on mutual respect and equality for all as reflected in the 1947 Panlong Agreement; Fully agree with the spirit of cooperation and unity expressed in the ethnic peoples' January 1997 Mae Tha Raw Tha Agreement, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's February 1997 Union Day message, and the recent United Nationalities League for Democracy's declaration; Commit ourselves to join hands with and work more closely with Burma's ethnic peoples to build a Burma where freedom, democracy, equality, peace and mutual respect will prevail. Signed: Dr. Sein Win MP, Paukkaung Prime Minister Bo Hla Tint MP, Mogok 2 N & S American Affairs Marko Ban MP, Pekon Federal Affairs Maung M Aye MP, Mandalay NE1 Information Dr. Sann Aung MP, Ingabu 2 Labour Teddy Buri MP, Loikaw 2 Asia Pacific Affairs Thein Oo MP, Mandalay SW2 Justice Dr. Tint Swe MP, Pale 2 South Asian Affairs Dr. Zahleithang MP, Falam 2 Health/Education Absent: Tha Noe MP, Rathetaung Social Welfare/Development ********************************************************************* NCGUB: BURMA'S NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT MEETS IN DENMARK July 31, 1997 RE-AFFIRMS COMMITMENT TO STRUGGLE TOGETHER WITH ETHNIC PEOPLES FOR DEMOCRACY AND EQUAL RIGHTS Anticipating the admittance of Burma into the Association of South East Asian Nations, the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NGGUB) cabinet held a strategy meeting in Frederiksdal, Denmark, from 24-29 July 1997. This is the first time the full cabinet has met since it was re-constituted in July 1995 in Bommersvik, Sweden. The NCGUB was first established in Manerplaw, Karen State, Burma, in December 1990. Members of the NCGUB cabinet who are working to restore democracy in Burma from areas bordering Thailand and India, and the United States of America, met to discuss the deteriorating political and economic situation in Burma, international development including ASEAN, and together plan a strategy for the future. Members of the cabinet who are representatives elected in the 27 May 1990 general elections, re-affirmed their commitment to non-violence in working to establish a democracy in Burma, and their commitment to work more closely with Burma's ethnic peoples. The cabinet portfolios were re-organized as follows. Prime Minister: Dr. Sein Win PND Asia Pacific Affairs: Teddy Buri NLD Federal Affairs: Marko Ban DOKNU Health & Education: Dr. Zahleithang CNLD Information: Maung M. Aye NLD Justice: Thein Oo NLD Labour: Dr. Sann Aung Independent N & S American Affairs: Bo Hla Tint NLD Social Welfare & Development Minister: Tha Noe ALD South Asian Affairs: Dr. Tint Swe NLD Teddy Buri is an NLD elected representative from Karenni State. Marko Ban is a Democratic Organization for Kayan National Unity elected representative from Shan State. Zahleithang is a Chin National League for Democracy elected representative from Chin State. Tha Noe is an Arakan League for Democracy elected representative from Arakan State. The Party for National Democracy is a party affiliated with the NLD. The NCGUB meeting was hosted by the Copenhagen-based Danish Burma Committee with the support of the Royal Danish Government. ************************************************************ KNU: APPEAL TO GOVERNMENTS OF DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES August 4, 1997 From: "win1" OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS KAREN NATION UNION, KAWTHOOLEI Appeal to Governments of Democratic Countries and World Pro-Democracy Forces Burma is a country co-inhabited by Kayah, Kachin, Karen, Chin, Mon, Burman, Shan, Arakanese, Lahu, Wa, Palaung, Pa-oh and etc. All the other ethnic nationalities together form about 60% of the population of Burma. Due to oppression on all sides by successive ruling elites, there has always been constant conflicts between the ethnic nationalities on the one side and the successive ruling elites on the other. Some ethnic nationalities who have returned to the "legal-fold," having to be under the rule of SLORC, have to act in accordance with the will of the SLORC. The statement, dated 17-7-97, supposedly issued by them was a fabrication reflecting the wishes of the SLORC, which was nothing but a pack of patent lies and false allegations. The truth is that all the ethnic nationalities have been calling for equality, democracy and unity up to this day. They support the principles of Panglong Agreement which call for the establishment of a federal union. Burma today is a country without a state constitution. 1. As the federal principle is not secession but coalition, unity, equality, democracy and a guarantee for ethnic identity, the Mae Tha Raw Ta Ethnic Nationality Seminar decided that it was to be cherished and adopted it. 2. The KNU has never received assistance either in the form of war weapons or finance. It also has never been controlled by any country, Only the Karen civilians, who have to take refuge in Thailand because of the civil war and serious human rights abuses, are receiving some assistance from international humanitarian NGOs. The KNU will always be much grateful and remember the humanitarian organizations for their assistance to the Karen refugees who are in dire plight. Since the question regarding the Karen people is a political question, the KNU has endeavored for addressing the question by political means, in a peaceful way. However, the effort of the KNU to find a solution by peaceful means has not met with any success, as the SLORC ignored the political means for finding a solution, obtusely demanded for a surrender and then resumed its major military offensive in accordance with the policy of total annihilation through war. Whatsoever the case may be, as the KNU is committed only to durable peace, it will continue to strive for finding means and ways for the resolution of conflicts, politically, through the process of dialogue. Therefore, we would like to earnestly appeal to the democratic governments and pro-democracy forces of the world to extend assistance for the resolution of the political malaise Burma, through peaceful means and on the basis of mutual recognition and respect. August 5, 1997 Central Committee Karen National Union **************************************************************** NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: "SAFEGUARD THE RACE!" July 31, 1997 (abridged) by a Tatmadawman (a SLORC soldier) I, who had rarely been to the cities, was admitted to the Defence Services General Hospital as I was wounded by a bullet of some remnants in hostility and deep foolery at a frontier. At the hospital, I used to watch the television arranged for the recreation of the warded soldiers. I also read the dailies. In frontiers, I sometimes lose sight of the events. Then, I could trace the footprints. Whose footprints do you think are they? They are not of the mother. They are of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. At the very first, she did her work--party politics. We did our work, too. Safeguarding the nation is our duty. I had believed so. When I could close in on the target in the circle, what I saw clearly was the aspects of Daw Suu Kyi. Alas... How formidable she is! Photos of her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, both foreigners, assisting her to bring her to power. Financial contributions from foreign organizations to enable her to put on the queen's crown. Medals awarded her by the international organizations as assets for her achievement of never waning fame in the world. Activities of her foreigner spouse and those of her two foreigner sons. Ah.. Pa.. Pa.. All are poisons--awards and decorations, cash grants, dollars, movements, etc. How unwittingly Daw Suu Kyi has turned into a venomous cobra! At a touch, she will rear her head, bite and transmit her venom. She will let the people die of her venom. Those who assumed Manerplaw as their democracy cemetery due to her instigation eventually fled the battles, discarding their arms. Their life became a complete ruin. Words coming out as toxic fumes from her mouth are to blame for all these. At that time, Michael Aris and his two sons are fully enjoying democracy in a big country. They are enjoying the luxury from one-million-dollar Nobel prize. How wonderful! You should not have conceived the idea of breaking up the country. You should not attempt to cause the Myanmar race to disappear from the world. In terms of physical phenomenon, Bogoke Aung San is Daw Suu Kyi's father. But in terms of mental phenomenon (according to Bogyoke's belief, conviction, attitude, love for the nation and people and love for the Tatmadaw), Bogyoke is not her father. All the good sons who have inherited the mentality of Bogyoke Aung San--his belief, conviction, attitude, love for the nation and people and love for the Tatmadaw--are in the Tatmadaw and are trying to accomplish the duty of "safeguarding the nation" owed to the father of the Tatmadaw. When we saw Daw Suu Kyi paying homage at the tomb of Bogyoke Aung San, all of us expected with magnanimity whether she would be saying in her mind, "I apologize to you, father, the Tatmadaw you founded and Myanmar you loved for all the sins I have committed. I will go back to the democracy country, where there are my two sons, my spouse and my in-laws, renouncing my fanciful political ego. I promise that I will never distress the nationals of motherland Myanmar, whose independence you wrested back, for the remaining part of my life, and live a pleasant, simple family life." ****************************************************************** BKK POST: BURMA POWER IMPORT PLAN FACES OPPOSITION August 2, 1997 by Boonsong Kositchotethana TRANSMISSION LINES TO RUN THROUGH PRISTINE FORESTS Thailand's plan to import electricity from Burma appears to be heading toward difficulties before it starts. Expected opposition from environmental and non-government organisation activists is likely to be a stumbling block. Senior officials of the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) are expecting opposition since the high-voltage transmission lines from Burma to Thailand would need to go through pristine forests along the border areas. Any opposition would be concentrated on Thai soil since the Burmese military dictatorship can effectively prevent protests. Last month the Thai government signed a memorandum of understanding to purchase 1,500 megawatts of power from Burma in the next decade. Egat officials have taken note of intensifying protests by Thai environmentalists against the Thai section of the Yadana gas pipeline, six kilometres of which will run through a protected watershed area in Tong Pha Phum, Kanchanaburi. They noted that the long stretch of Thai territory bordering Burma, through which the power lines will run, included many "good" watershed areas. Building transmission lines will inevitably cut a wide swath through the forests. In the case of a 230-kilovolt line, the width of the required right of way is 40 metres, and 60 metres for a 500kilovolt line. The high-voltage lines on the Thai side will pass through the forest area over a distance of some 200 kilometres, halfway to Egat's Nakhon Sawan grid (about 250 kilometres north of Bangkok), where the line would be connected to the national network. The environmental impact created by the transmission lines would be far greater than that created by the Yadana pipeline. The pipeline in the disputed six kilometre area of Kanchanaburi will need a 20-metre-wide right of way. Unlike the transmission lines which will be erected into the sky for a long time, the gas pipeline will be buried at least one metre under the surface. "The environmental problems related to the transmission lines need to be tackled first before we [Egat] can buy any Burmese electricity," a senior Egat official said. Egat officials see the 150-megawatt Nam Kok project in Shan state as the only power-generation project in Burma that has a chance of getting off the ground and exporting power to Thailand in the near future. ------------------------------- excerpt from a related story: NITROGEN CONTENT IN YADANA GAS A SOURCE OF CONCERN (Bangkok Post, August 2, 1997) A House panel has voiced concern over pollution resulting from the high nitrogen content of natural gas from Burma's Yadana field. The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand is building a 4,600 megawatt power plant in Ratchaburi which will be fired by Yadana gas via a 260km-long pipeline passing through Kanchanaburi. Dr Veerapoj Lueprasitskul, an academic attached to the House science and technology panel, said the high nitrogen content in the Yadana gas means the plant would be releasing a higher level of nitrogen dioxide, a toxic gas which can cause respiratory problems and inflammation of the lungs. ***************************************************************** NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: MINISTER INSPECTS PIPELINE LAYING WORK AT YADANA NATURAL GAS PROJECT August 1, 1997 YANGON, 31 July - Minister for Energy U Khin Maung Thein, together with Brig-Gen Zaw Tun of Dawei Station, French Ambassador Mr Bernard Pottier, General Manager of Total Myanmar Exploration and Production Co Mr F Rafin and officials of the ministry, this morning arrived at Semi-submersible Pipelaying Vessel SEMAC-1, which is carrying out deep-sea pipeline laying work at Myanma Offshore Yadana Natural Gas Project of Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise. Managing Director of MOGE U Kyaw Nyein, Project Manager of TMEP Co Mr D Bernier and Mr Sullivan in charge of SEMAC-1 reported on working programme with charts. The minister gave instructions. Mr D Bernier and Mr Sullivan presented photographs and other relevant data to the minister. The minister presented gifts to foreign and Myanmar staff. The minister and party inspected preparations for welding pipelines, welding work, examining pipelines with X-ray machines, coating of joints of pipelines and process of laying pipelines. The minister and party also inspected the computer control room and left in the afternoon. About 40 miles of 36-inch diameter gas pipe-line has been laid inland. Out of about 216 miles of 36-inch diameter pipeline to be laid offshore about 10 miles have already been laid at the beginning of March and the SEMAC-1 will lay the remaining length. The pipe line laying work will be completed within three months. ********************************************************** NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: UMNO DELEGATION OF MALAYSIA VISITS MYANMAR August 2, 1997 YANGON, 1 Aug - At the invitation of Union Solidarity and Development Association (Central), a five-member delegation of United Malays National Organization (UMNO) of Malaysia led by Mr Hasni Mohamad arrived here by air this afternoon. They were welcomed at Yangon International Air-port by USDA Central Executive Committee members U Than Shwe and U Tin Hlaing and First Secretary of the Malaysian Embassy Mr Kennedy Jawan. The delegation called on Secretary General of USDA U Than Aung, member of the Secretariat U Ko Lay and CEC members U Than Shwe, U Thein Sein and U Tin Hlaing at the City Hall. Views were cordially exchanged on the work of USDA and UMNO. Mr Jawan and secretaries and executives of Yangon Division and District USDAs were also present. Chairman of Yangon City Development Committee Mayor U Ko Lay hosted dinner in their honour at Thakayta Yadana Viewpoint Hotel. USDA CEC members were also present. ********************************************************* KNU: BATTLE NEWS PRESS RELEASES 41/97, 42/97, 43/97 August 4, 1997 From: "win1" OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS KAREN NATIONAL UNION, KAWTHOOLEI Press release No.41/97 Regarding 1997 SLORC Offensive against KNU Combat News August 2, 1997 Pa-an District * 12-6-97: Land mines in Waw-ger-kee of Hlaing-bwe township wounded 10 enemy soldiers. * 15-6-97: At the up-range of Por-toh-bwa village of Hlaing -bwe township, 5 enemy and DKBA soldiers were wounded by land mines. * 30-6-97: Land mines killed enemy soldiers near Yo-jor in the north of Mya-wa-dy. * 01-7-97: The KNLA troops captured one G3 rifle in a clash at Tee-ja-ra of Hlaing-bwe township.Casualty on enemy side not known. *12-7-97: In a clash near A-leh-bo-teh on Mya-wa-dy-Kaw-Ka-reik motor road, 3 enemy soldiers were killed. Nyaung-le-bin District * 01-7-97: In a clash near Ga-nu-ta of Kyauk-ji township, one enemy sergeant was killed and two, including one corporal, were wounded. * 04-7-97: Land mines at Ler-su-ko of Kyauk-ji township wounded seriously two on the enemy side, including IB 39 commander. Tha-ton District * 06-7-97: One DKBA soldier surrendered to the KNLA troops. * 10-7-97: The KNLA troops attacked a DKBA unit in Wah-ta-mor village in Tha-ton township, killing one DKBA soldier and wounding some. Boke-pean Township, Tavoy-Mergui District * On 3-7-97 and again on 9-7-97, the enemy attacked a camp of the KNLA Battalion 12. The enemy suffered 2 dead and 7 wounded, including one Captain. * After unilaterally abrogating the cease-fire dialogue process, the enemy launched a major offensive against the KNU and Karen civillains. As a result, battles are raging in all the KNU base areas. KNU PRESS RELEASE NO. 42/97 August 4, 1997 Regarding 1997 SLORC Offensive against KNU Pa-pun District * 08-7-97: A land mine at Lay-paw-ko wounded an enemy soldier. * 15-7-97: A land mine at Kler-du wounded and enemy soldier. On the same day, a land mine at Kler-mu wounded another enemy soldier. * 16-7-97: A land mine at Pwa-waw-day wounded an enemy soldier. * 17-7-97: In a clash at Tee-Thaw-du-cho, an enemy soldier was wounded. On the same day, a land mine at Da-per-cho killed an enemy soldier from LIB 705, and 2 land mines at Ka-hsaw-mee-ta wounded 2 enemy soldiers. * 18-7-97: A clash took place at Ka-hsaw-mu. Casualty not known. A land mine at Ler-klay-cho wounded an enemy soldier from LIB 709 and two enemy soldiers were wounded in a clash at Po-mu-day. * 20-7-97: Land mines at Tee-baw-kee wounded 2 enemy soldiers from LIB 708. * 21-7-97: A land mine at Pler-su-day wounded an enemy soldier. Land mines at Lay-daw wounded 3 from IB 60, and in a clash at Klo-peh-ta 2 from LIB 705 were wounded. A clash took place at Saw-aye-kee. Casualty not known. In a clash at Pla-bay-kee, an enemy soldier was wounded. A land mine at Ler-klay-cho wounded one from IB 60. Tha-ton District * 16-7-97: A DKBA soldier, Par-thway returned to the KNLA with an AK rifle. * 20-7-97: The KNLA troops captured 4 AK rifles and some military equipment in an attack on a SLORC militia unit at Lar-oh-ker in Tha-ton township. Tavoy District * 13-7-97: In a clash at Met-ter-kee, 3 enemy soldiers were killed and 4 wounded. KNU PRESS RELEASE NO. 43/97 August 4, 1997 Regarding 1997 SLORC Offensive against KNU Taungoo District * 04-7-97: PrivatesYarn Naing and The Hart from Company 2 of the enemy IB 44 defected to the combined KNLA-ABSDF Column with 2 G3 rifles. * 05-7-97: Land mines near Pler-mu-doe wounded a corporal and a lance-corporal from enemy LIB 704. On the same da, LIB 704 seized Baw-ga-leet villagers and forced them to carry supplies through mine fields. As a result 2 villagers were wounded by land mines. * 06-7-97: A soldier from enemy LIB 704 was wounded by a land mine near Si day. On 3-7-97 also, a land mine near Si-day wounded a soldier from enemy LIB 702. * 07-7-97: The KNLA troops staged an ambush on Si-day main road. Casualty not known. * 09-7-97: A land mine at Kler-mu wounded an enemy soldier. * 12-7-97: A land mine at Bu-hsa-kee wounded an enemy soldier. * 18-7-97: A clash took place near Tee-nu-doe. Casualty not known. * 19-7-97: Attack near Chin-pa-daung, killed one and wounded 2 from enemy LIB 344. Pa-an District * 18-7-97: A land mine near Ye-jor, north of Mya-wa-dy, wounded an enemy soldier. * 20-7-97: Again near Ye-jor, land mines wounded 2 enemy soldiers. Near Mor-poe-gay of Hlaing-bwe district, the KNLA troops attacked a post of DKBA wounding 4 and capturing some military equipment. One the same day, shelling by KNLA troops at Mae-la camp killed one and wounded 2 enemy soldiers. A clash between two groups from enemy LIB 13 result in one corporal killed and one wounded. * 22-7-97: Land mines at Par-ju and Mae-gu Hlaing-bwe township, wounded 2 enemy soldiers. Doo-pla-ya District * 04-7-97: The KNLA troops attacked enemy LIB 13 out post at Kaw-ta-ray. Casualty not known. * 06-7-97: An attack by KNLA troops on enemy LIB 549 out-post at Yin-gweh-taung resulted in one enemy soldier killed and 2 wounded. * 09-7-97: Land mine at Poe-thwee-cho of Kaw-ka-reik township killed one and wounded one enemy soldier. (Translated, printed and distributed by the Karen Information Center) ********************************************************* SHAN: SURA BATTLE NEWS August 2, 1997 From: shan On 4.6.97 night, SURA's (Shan United Revolutionary Army) company 151 of Brigade 757 clashed with Slorc troops at a place between Kunhing and Murngnai township. SURA troops seized 1 M-16 rifle, 1 G-3 rifle, 1 Carbine rifle, 2 grenades and 60 rounds of ammunition. On 26.6.97, 05:00 hrs., SURA's company 152 of Brigade 757 clashed with Slorc troops LIB no.518 from Murngnai at Kung Lai Kha, north of Nar Loi, Murngnai township. Casualty unknown. *********************************************************** ANNOUNCEMENT: 8/8/97: INVITATION TO ADELAIDE CITY LUNCH TIME MEETINGS August 4, 1997 From: Dr U Ne Oo A series of Lunch Time meetings in solidarity with the up-rooted people of the world will be held by The South Australian Council of Churches throughout August 1997. On this Friday, August 8, 1997 a Lunch Time meeting for Burma will be held and our friends are invited to come to the following place. Myself, Mr Mathieson of Flinders University and Sr Patricia Pak Poy will be sitting as the panel and the meeting is to be Chaired by Dr Malcolm McArthur, Director of South Australian Council of Churches. Date: Friday 8 August 1997 Time: 12:45 -- 2:00 PM Place: Pilgrim Church Hall, 15 Flinders Street, Adelaide. (Tea, Coffee & Biscuits will be available) ***************************************************************