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PRESS RELEASE [12]



PRESS RELEASE [12]

NCUB STATEMENT ON SLORC PRESS CONFERENCE HELD ON MARCH 4, 1997 

Date: March 5, 1997

At the SLORC press conference held yesterday in Rangoon, Col.
Kyaw Thein explained the reason behind their recent attack on the
KNU as being due to their use of border bases to conduct acts of
terrorism inside the country, such as the bombing of the
Mandalay-Rangoon Railroad, and the bombs planted at Gaba Aye
Pagoda in Rangoon last Christmas. 

The NCUB would like to make it clear that these accusations
against the KNU are completely untrue. As we have previously
stated, due to the SLORC's history of brutality and of bombing
its own embassies in Bangkok and Tokyo in order to discredit pro-
democracy groups and divert international criticism against them,
we the NCUB believe that they are the only group capable of such
despicable acts. In our previous statement we explained our
belief that the SLORC conducted these acts and accused the KNU of
being responsible in order to provide them with justification for
an attack. Our expectations were proven correct by SLORC's press
statement given yesterday. 

We the NCUB strongly denounce both such acts of terrorism, and
the current SLORC offensive against the Karen people. Both the
KNU and the NCUB have repeatedly asked the SLORC to resolve the
political problems by peaceful means.

The NCUB would like to appeal to the international community
particularly the Royal Thai Government to help protect the safety
of the refugees who have fled from SLORC's recent offensive
against Karen villagers, and to continue to pressure the SLORC to
enter dialogue in order to solve Burma's problems peacefully.

Information Committee
National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB)