KAREN NEWS (r)

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

OFFICE OF THE SUPREME
HEADQUARTERS
                                                              KAREN
NATIONAL UNION
                                                                     
KAWTHOOLEI

                                                              Press
Release
No. 42/97
                                                Regarding SLORC 1997
Offensive against KNU

Battle News
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.


Abbreviations:
                       KNU= Karen National Union (Political wing of
Karen
resistance)
                  SLORC= State Law and Order Restoration Council
(Military
dictatorship of Burma)
                  KNLA  = Karen National Liberation Army (Military wing
of
Karen resistance)
                      LIB  = Light Infantry Battalion
                        IB  = Infantry Battalion
                 DKBA  = Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (A puppet army
of
the SLORC)
                       AK= Russian or Chinese made rifle.

                     (Translated, printed and distributed by the Karen
Information Center) 

OFFICE OF THE SUPREME
HEADQUARTERS
                                                                  KAREN
NATION UNION
                                                                      
KAW
THOO LEI

                                       Appeal to Goverments 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. Ethnic
nationalities, and the Burma forms the largest majority of the
population.
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 babrication 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 Meh 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 NGO. 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. Therefor, we would like to earnestly appeal to the
democratic goverments 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