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PRESS RELEASE (r)



Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Contacts: Abel Tweed, Doh Say
Tel: 66 53 611 691
E-mail: ooreh@xxxxxxxxxx
______________________________________________________________________________

Press Release
For Immediate Release
March 23, 2001

Karenni villagers flee the Burmese junta's dry-season military operation
Destruction of villages, farms and hunting the Internally Displaced Persons
(IDPs) is a crime against humanity.

Seventy-six Karenni villagers fled the junta's dry-season military
operation and reached Thai border this evening. The villagers are
originally from Daw Tamakyi, Dee Mawsoe Township, Karenni State. On Feb 22,
2001, 105 Karenni villagers reached the Thai soil. The total number being
181 Karenni villagers from more than ten villages have reached in since the
last month.

The Burmese junta started its annual dry-season military campaign against
the Karenni Army (KA) and the Karenni villagers including those who have
been hiding in the jungle since it carried out a forced relocation program
in 1996. 

"We were forced to leave our village and hide-outs by the Burmese soldiers
for Thailand," said Khu Sa Reh, 60, the head of Daw Sa village. " We were
fleeing oppression, forced labour, and military operation by the Burmese
soldiers," concluded Khu Sa Reh.

The fighting between the junta's troops and the KA is going on both on the
border and deep inside Karenni State. There have been several clashes along
the Karenni-Thai border between the junta's troops and the KA since the
beginning of this year.

"Destruction of villages and farms, hunting the Internally Displaced Person
(IDPs) is a crime against humanity," said Aung Than Lay, Prime Minister of
the Karenni Government. " There will be more Karenni civilians on Thai soil
if the junta does not stop its uncivilized and inhuman activities.

The Karenni Government in exile calls for the International Community to
stop the regime from its inhuman activities both in Karenni State and
Burma. It also calls for the International Community to put more pressure
on the regime to enter the tripartite dialogue to solve the problems which
are related to ethnic issues and a move towards a democratic system.
______________________________________________________________________________

The Karenni Government was founded in 1946 and it has been leading the
Karenni National Resistance Movement against successive military regimes of
Burma since 1948.  

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