CIVIL WAR IN BURMA

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25581, 24 August 1948, Page 5

CIVIL WAR IN BURMA

THAYETMYO FALLS TO REBELS ACTION ON IRRAWADDY (N.Z.PA—Reuter— Copyright) (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) RANGOON, Aug. 23. The Government of Burma has announced that the rebels have captured Thayetmyo, an important cement centre which was evacuated last week by British families, employees of the British-owned Steel Brothers company. • Government troops still occupy Allanmyo on the opposite bank of the Irrawaddy river. (These towns are about 200 miles north of Rangoon.) Government troops inflicted heavy casualties on the rebels in a weekend battle for a village three miles from Syriam. The Associated Press, quoting a reliable source, says that Government forces have reoccupied Moulemaingyun. an important rice centre in the Burmese delta, after capturing 100 rebels. Burma would never surrender to Communism, said Mr Sao Khun, Act-ing-Foreign Minister and leader of the

Burmese goodwill mission to Siam, in an interview with Reuter's correspondent at Bangkok. He said that the Communist insurgent forces had already been suppressed ip many districts and that the Government was at present in control of the situation. The pacification of the whole country would take some time. He declined to comment on reports that the Burmese Government was seeking foreign aid to suppress the Communists. Another member of the Burmese mission said that although the Burmese situation was serious the critical phase had passed some time ago. The Burmese Government had ample forces to deal with the threat without foreign aid. He considered that peace would be restored by the end of the rainy season, which would be within two months. Reuter’s Rangoon correspondent says that a source close to the Government of Burma said that the Government was completely independent and could deal unaided with the present insurrection. Burma had no treaty rights or obligations requiring the entry of foreign troops to aid it.