Burmese troops harried by rebel attacks

Press, 18 February 1978, Page 7

Burmese troops harried by rebel attacks

NZPA-Reuter Rangoon Burmese rebel groups in eastern and northern Burma have stepped up their sabotage activities and launched hit-and-run attacks on Government security patrols. The Government yesterday disclosed details of the latest clash, saying that Burmese troops had killed 16 rebels and wounded 10 others in battles this week in the south-eastern Karen state. In a week-end incident in the northern town of Hsipaw, five people were killed and 17 others injured when a man described by the authorities as a rebel saboteur threw a grenade into a crowd. At the same time, this month’s issue of the ruling Burma Socialist Programme Party's official paper accused unnamed countries of encouraging and abetting rebel groups without regard for bilateral relations based on good will and friendship.

The Government of President Ne Win has always kept silent about alleged Chinese support for Burmese Communist rebels and it is not known whether the recent visit by a Chinese Vice-Premier, Teng Hsiaoping, led to any new moves on the rebel situation. Informed sources said that rebel groups had sabotaged road construction work and attacked the guard of a pas-

senger train in incidents earlier this month in the troubled northern Shan state.

According to earlier official statements, more than 500 Communist guerrillas were killed and 240 others wounded in big clashes with government troops last year.

But the sources said that insurgent groups were now avoiding major battles and were concentrating on ambushes and guerrilla attacks.

The sourres said; the stepped-up guerrilla) activity was designed to divert attention from the General Election in) the one-party State held last month and the meeting of the new Parliament due to begin on March 2. Apart from fighting Communist insurgents, Government troops are also trying to defeat two other rebel groups, Rightist rebels, and tribesmen seeking separate states. The party journal said that in their ba tie against the insurgents, the Burmese Army also faced the problem of rebels finding sanctuary across the border. This was a clear reference to Shan, Karen, and other rebels crossing the border into Thailand, though Thai authorities have sent back several such groups in re-