FEAR OF UNREST IN BURMA

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25089, 22 January 1947, Page 7

FEAR OF UNREST IN BURMA

COMMUNIST PARTY’S THREAT TROOPS ON GUARD IN RANGOON LONDON, January 20. “Government officials in Burma fear serious disturbances following the threat. by Communists to besiege the Government offices,” says Reuter’s Correspondent in Rangoon. “There has already been one clash between Communists and the police. One member of the Communist “Red Flag” Party was killed and four were seriously wounded when the police tried to eject them from the Government building at Katha, in central Burma. The police are reported to have used smoke bombs, and they arrested a number of men and five Women. “Government departments in Rangoon afe functioning, though hundreds of officials are absent and most of the shops are closed. “One high official said: ‘Of course, We are very anxious. Anything may happen at any time.’ ” A Labour Department spokesman said that a big. if not a general, strike was possible. Yesterday the police several times turned a hose on a huge crowd surrounding the Rangoon Secretariat compound, where 1000 armed troops were on duty. Other troops are guarding Government buildings, banks, and business houses.