INFORMAL DOMINIONS’ CONFERENCE TO STUDY SITUATION IN BURMA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27018, 1 March 1949, Page 5

INFORMAL DOMINIONS’ CONFERENCE TO STUDY SITUATION IN BURMA

NZPA—Reuter—Copyright NEW DELHI, Feb. 27. The informal dominions’ conference on the Burmese situation, which will open to-morrow, is expected to produce peace proposals for Burma. Informed quarters stress three aspects:— 1. The main object of the conference is to devise ways and means of restoring peace to Burma, which presupposes that Thakin Nu’s regime must prevail. 2. Any suggestion of supplying arms or armed intervention on behalf of the present Burmese Government might worsen the situation: therefore, only mediation is contemplated. 3. It is beleived that economic assistance to Burma may bring about the desired result. In Rangoon the Prime Minister, Thakin Nu, stated to-day that 30,000 persons had so far lost their lives as a result of the insurrection in Burma. He appealed to his countrymen to abandon their “ terrorist activities ” and support the Government, so that general elections could be held. Thakin Nu added that the loss of revenue through the insurrection represented nearly £19,000,000. Thakin Nu was addressing a mass rally of the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League. Ten thousand at the meeting swore allegience to the Government, and pledged themselves to an all-out effort to restore law and order. A Reuter correspondent reports that Government troops have, launched heavy attacks on Karen and Communist rebels holding the Central Burma railway towns of Meiktila and Thazi.