Chinese officials working on nine M (r)

[suriya@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

200,000 Karen Refugees in Myanmar

By ROBERT HORN
 .c The Associated Press 

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - As many as 200,000 ethnic Karen people have either
been forcibly relocated or are hiding in the jungles of eastern Myanmar to
escape the army, a research group said Saturday. 

More than 30 percent of the population in eastern Myanmar has been uprooted
and displaced, the Burma Ethnic Research Group said in a report. More than
100,000 Karen and others already live in refugee camps inside Thailand, it
said. 

The Karen are the second-largest ethnic group in Myanmar after the Burmans,
and have been fighting for autonomy for nearly 50 years. 

There was no immediate comment available from Myanmar's military regime. 

Myanmar was known as Burma until the military government changed the
country's name in 1989. The government claims it has brought peace and
stability to the country by inducing more than a dozen ethnic insurgent
groups to sign cease-fire agreements during the past decade. 

Along with the Karen, more than 300,000 ethnic Shan people also have been
persecuted, the report said. 

``The civilian population in the rural areas has been subjected to a
campaign of terror and displacement by the Burma army,'' the report said. 

Human rights workers have documented gang rapes, torture, summary killings
and forced labor and relocations committed against the Karen by the army. 

Bo Mya, rebel leader of the armed Karen National Union, spoke to refugees
along the Thai-Myanmar border Friday and said he was willing to resume talks
with the government, the Bangkok Post reported Saturday. 

Four previous rounds of negotiations have failed. 

In the past, military officials have defended forced relocations as the
quickest way to cut off support for the armed rebels. 

Although the report provided maps and population tables, researchers
admitted the figures were estimates because access to Karen state is not
permitted by the government. 

AP-NY-05-09-98 1240EDT 





News
--------------------------------------------------
1): 12 million tablets smuggled in from Burma each day
2): Un-neigbbourly acts
--------------------------------------------------

12 million tablets smuggled in from Burma each day

As many as 12 million amphetamine tablets are amuggled into the country
from Burma each day, said Thongchai Chaiprom, a coordinator of the northern
bereau of the Office of Narcotics Control Board.

Expressing grave concern over the alarming increase in the inflow of
speeding pill, he said the pills were being produced in territories under
the control of Red Wa tribesman and being smuggled into the country from
many border points in Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Chiang Rai provinces.

Apart from amphetamines, Thongchai said a new drug which is similar to
"Ecstasy" had found its way into Chiang Mai.

He noted that although Wa-controlled areas were though to be the main speed
pill production centres, the use of amphetamines in these areas was
unusually low.

			-----------------
Un-neighbourly acts

Burmese forces invade and seized part of a Mae Hong Son village, border
officials said. The Burmese were hunting Shan rebels, and it appeared
possible they were ignorant of exactly were the border was.


Chinese officials working on nine Myanmar bases 
Wilson John/New Delhi 
The Pioneer (May 10, 1998)
India has gathered crucial evidence of Chinese naval officials working 
on at least nine Myanmar naval bases and Chinese vessels visiting 
certain islands close to the Indian coastline to monitor signal 
communications. 

Senior Government officials said they have the specific number of PLA 
naval engineers and operation officers posted at the Myanmarese naval 
bases. 

The discovery of this substantial Chinese military presence close to the 
Indian shore has come at a time when both the Chinese and Myanmar 
governments have flatly denied setting up a signal monitoring station at 
Coco Islands near the Andamans. 

The new evidence of increased Chinese activity in Myanmar naval bases 
only strengthens India's suspicions about Beijing's intentions. Naval 
experts have cautioned that China might pose a long-term threat to 
India's maritime security. 

Senior officials said the Chinese have been quietly building the 
pressure by sending vessels to intercept Indian signal communications. 

Two such vessels had visited Munaung, Yan Ria and other islands in 
October and December last and January this year. 

Munaung island falls within the Danyawaddy naval regional command. 

The latest siting of Chinese vessels was in the north-west of Munaung in 
March this year. 

Intelligence reports reveal the following new developments at some of 
the Myanmarese naval bases: 

a) Coco Islands: There are six naval engineers and operation officers 
from the PLA Navy. 

b) Hainggyi Islands: Four naval engineers and operation officers. 

c) Kyakkame naval base: Five PLA Navy officers. 

d) Margui Kyunsu naval base: Four PLA officers. 

e) Tannintharyi naval HQ: Seven naval officers. 

d) Sittute naval base: Seven officers. 

e) Zadet Gyi naval base: Two PLA officers. 

f) Ayeyarwady Naval HQs: Seven PLA navy officers and engineers. 
 


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