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Mass forced relocation in Tenessari



Subject: Mass forced relocation in Tenessariam Division 

Oway News Agency
----------------
P.O Box 42, Hua Mark P.O
Bangkok 10243, Thailand
Email: caroline@xxxxxxxxxxxx
       lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Press Release
Date: December 23, 1996


MASS FORCED RELOCATION IN TENASSERIM DIVISION


SLORC has been conducting a mass relocation operation in
Tenasserim Division since May this year that has resulted in more
than 25,000 people to be forcibly removed from their villages to
new areas under SLORC control.

Altogether over 5,200 families from 99 villages in Tenasserim,
Bokepyin and Kyunsuu townships in the Tenasserim Division in the
southern costal region of Burma have been affected by the forced
relocation.

The order for the relocation was issued by the newly established
Costal Region Military Command under the SLORC's on-going 'Four
Cuts' campaign in the area, which aims to cut off finance, food,
intelligence and recruits to the ethnic armed forces.

According to the order, the SLORC authorities accused the local
people of failing to obey previous obey orders that demanded them
to report the activities of ethnic armed forces and ABSDF
students.

Under the forced relocation, families were ordered to move out
from their native village within a very good short period of
time, and leave behind all their belongings. SLORC threatened
that any one found in their native village after the deadline
would be killed without any further questioning.

During this forced relocation, brutal massacres have also been
taking place in the area by the military. In June, 87 people were
killed in Kyunsuu township on Don Island, and May another 36
people were killed in the island's Eastern Mergui township. One
eyewitness said all of the victims were innocent people working
on the island and had no connection with the armed groups in the
region. 

In May, seven family members including an infant were brutally
shot and killed by Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 358 in Bokepyin
township in Kyein-me Taung. Six civilians were also killed by a
military column led by Major Htun Hla from LIB 17 in Tenasserim
township in Pawa Chaungwa.

For further information, please contact Aung Naing Oo, 3000-631