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Burmanet news August 24





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The BurmaNet News: August 24, 1995

HEADLINES:
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THE NATION: REBEL LEADER FLIES TO RANGOON FOR TALKS
BKK POST: THAI-BURMESE CONFLICT EXPECTED TO END SOON
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===== item =====

REBEL LEADER FLIES TO RANGOON FOR TALKS

24 August 1995, THE NATION

TOP ethnic Mon guerrilla leader Nai Shwe Kyin left yesterday for
Burma after nearly five decades fighting for autonomy from the
Rangoon government.

Nai Shwe Kyin and two other leading members of the New Mon State
Party (NMSP) flew from Bangkok to Rangoon on a Myanmar Airway
International flight. The group was to join another large
entourage of top NMSP leaders who left Bangkok for Rangoon on
Monday.

After repeated invitations extended by the ruling Burmese State
Law and Other Restoration Council (Slorc), the octogenarian
leader eventually decided to make the trip after having consulted
members of the NMSP central committee.

Meanwhile, a Reuter report quoting guerrilla sources yesterday
said leaders of Burma's Karen National Union (KNU), one of the
world's oldest rebel groups, would hold preliminary ceasefire
talks with the ruling military government next week.

KNU leader General Bo Mya is to lead a five-man delegation to
Pa-an, the capital of southeastern Burma's Karen state, to meet
representatives of the ruling Slorc, a senior Karen source told
Reuters.

A senior NMSP official, who requested anonymity, told The Nation
in an interview yesterday that Nai Shwe Kyin's itinerary was
being finalized by the seven member NMSP advance team and the
Slorc, but that he and other top Mon leaders would certainly meet
with Slorc leader Lt Gen Khin Nyunt, who initiated ceasefire
talks with armed ethnic groups. A meeting with Slorc Chairman Gen
Than Shwe was highly possible.

The official said it is Nai Shwe Kyin's first visit to Rangoon
since 1963, when he led a Mon delegation to peace talk with the
government of Gen Ne Win, and also his first family reunion with
his wife and son who now live
in Waw, a small town north of Pegu.
 
Although Nai Shwe Kyin's actual programme was not known at
interview time, the official said the Mon leader would likely
travel to Moulmein, Burma's Mon State capital, where he would
meet and address the Mon population.

Nai Shwe Kyin, who joined the Mon guerrilla movement in 1948, is
widely respected by the Mon populace on both sides of the
border-those inside Burma and the big Thai Mon community in
Thailand. The NMSP and the Slorc began their peace dialogues in
December 1993 and the two reached a ceasefire agreement on June
29 this year.

The official said the visiting NMSP team and the Slorc would hold
their first post-ceasefire negotiations on various issues
including joint border development programmes in the Mon State,
bilateral trade and economic activities, health and education
projects and a resettlement plan for about
10,000 Mon refugees in newly designated villages.

The ethnic group and Rangoon would try to finalize their plan to
establish an NMSP liaison office in several towns in Moulmein,
Mergui, Thanbyuzayat, Three Pagodas Pass and Ye to facilitate
bilateral contacts and communications.

The Mon group would also urge the Slorc to open tripartite
dialogues with Burmese political parties led by pro-democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi and over a dozen armed ethnic groups,
most of whom have entered a truce deal with Rangoon, added the
official.

Apart from Nai Shwe Kyin, other NMSP leaders in the advance team
include Nai Htin, the NMSP vice chairman who led the Mon
delegation to the ceasefire agreement in June, Nai Tin Aung,
secretary for the trade and economic committee; and Brig Gen
Naing Aung Naing, the vice secretary for
the central military committee. (TN)

THAI-BURMESE CONFLICT EXPECTED TO END SOON

24 August 1995, Bangkok Post

THE conflict between Thailand and Burmese over the brutal killing
of Burmese crewmen allegedly by Thai fishermen is expected to end
soon.

The murder of three Burmese crewmen occurred after Burmese
authorities had boarded the JV44, owned by the Myanmar Narong
Comany, to seize prohibited fishing equipment and revoke its
fishing agreement between Thailand and
Burma.

The Burmese then ordered the temporary closure of the Thai-Burmes
border and also revoked fishing concessions provided to other
Thai companies fishing in its waters.
 
Fishery Department Director-General Plodprasop Suraswasdi said
the conflict is expected to ease after the NCC Asian Fishery Co's
Managing Director Praphan Chatroon undertakes his planned
negotiations on compensation with the victim's relatives today.

Mr Praphan accepted that since the murder, the company has been
badly affected as all its 800 Burmese fishermen had quit and gone
to work for other vessels.

Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh and Deputy Agriculture
Minister Monthon Kraiwatnusorn are also scheduled to help clear
up the issue with the Burmese Government next month.

To prevent such a tragedy from happening again, any companies
wishing to fish in overseas waters must apply for fishing
licences from the Fishery Department.

The regulation might cause some difficulties for the private
sector but they should not forget about the heavy losses that the
country's fishing industry has suffered since this incident
occurred, said Mr Plodprasop.(BP)