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　　　　- MAY,1997 -

　　　Situation Update about fighting between the KNLA and SLORC troops, 12/MAY.　On 9/May, the fighting broke out near a traveler's rest house close to Bongti, Thailand, on the Thai-Burma border. Intercepted messages from the SLORC radio reported that 3 boats of casualties were sent to Myita, Burma.
　　　On 10/May, 12 armed SLORC soldiers from the LIB 104 entered Thailand near Bongti village at KamlaDi, where logs are stockpiled. This area is 2-kilometers inside Thailand. These soldiers did not follow the car road, instead they came through the jungle, thereby avoiding the Thai check point. The Thai border patrol police learned that the SLORC soldiers had entered KamlaDi, so they went to this area to meet them. The SLORC soldiers claimed they were there to buy food, but the Thai border patrol police did not allow them to stay. The Thai border patrol police agreed to send them food if they needed it, but they told the SLORC soldiers that they could not enter Thai territory with arms. Both groups agreed to meet to further discuss the problem the next morning at the fork of KaSawWah and Amoh road.
　　　The next day, the Thai border patrol police and local village headmen arrived at the agreed meeting place, however the SLORC troops did not show up. On this same day, fighting occurred between the KNLA and the SLORC near another traveler's rest house on the Thai side. It was reported that more than 100 SLORC soldiers had been stationed at this traveler's rest house inside Thailand. Again, intercepted SLORC radio messages revealed that 2 boats of SLORC casualties were sent to Myita.
　　　On 12/May, at 0815 hour, fighting began between the KNLA and the SLORC at the traveler's rest house in Thailand. The fighting quieted, then at 1130 hour, the fighting erupted again. It was reported that the SLORC troops are still staying in that area inside Thailand.

　　　KNPP official attacked by unidentified armed group,20/MAY.　On May 19, an unidentified group fired to the KNPP Minister's house near the Karenni Refugee camp in MaeHongSong province, Thailand.
　　　Minister for Religion of the Government of Karenni Byar-Reh-Paw-Lu, aged 50 and his 12-year-old daughter were seriously wounded and are being treated in MaeHongSon Hospital after the attack. Their house is situated at the end of the Karenni refugee camp (3) where most handicapped refugee people are taking refuge. The attackers arrived around 0920 hour, evening to their house and fired the rounds of shot guns and three 79 mm motors into the house. The reason and perpetrators have not unknown yet.

　　　Burmese arrested more than 300 oppositon members, 26/MAY.　On 21/May, At least 50 senior members of AungSan-SuuKyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party have been arrested by Burma's military government. It is seems to ahead of the (May) 27th election anniversary.
　　　Burma's pro-democracy opposition said that the military junta had arrested 316 of its senior members in an effort to stop party leader AunSan-SuuKyi from holding a congress. NLD is to meet 27th at the Rangoon home of SuuKyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts to bring democracy to Burma.
　　　27th day marks the seventh anniversary of parliamentary elections in which the opposition won 82 percent of the vote. The military government dissolved the parliament before it could convene.

　　　More Mon refugees will move to Halockhanee, 27/MAY.　After the two Mon refugee camps at the Mergui area were burnt down by SLORC troops on April 27, the New Mon State Party leaders plan to move these refugees to Halockhanee camp, which is located opposite Kanchanaburi province. However, those refugees refused to move. They would like to stay there. Halockhanee camp is also in danger now. According to the Mon National Releif Committee, the area is being controlled under SLORC's troops. The border crossing point is being closed by SLORC. So, refugees cannot run into the Thai soil. SLORC also prohibites the Mon National Relief Committee to give aids and assistances to the camp. The MNRC is worrying the situations of refugees in the camp. Now, the New Mon State Party is negotiating with SLORC to withdraw its troops from the camp.

　　　Japan Prime-Minister Hashimoto concerned over Burma action, 28/MAY.　Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto says he hopes Burma's entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will not mean the military junta is spared criticism in the future. Hashimoto expressed concern to journalists over the Burmese junta's blocking of a pro-democracy meeting in Rangoon. The prime minister says, "We hope (Burma's) membership in ASEAN will not give immunity to the military regime's actions."
　　　24/May, The Japanese government was to suspend official development aid to Myanmar to encourage the country's military regime to resume talks with democracy advocates, a press report said. The government would not restrict corporate investment in Myanmar, but would freeze loans through the Overseas Economic Co-operation Fund to private sector-led projects, said the Nihon Keizai Shimbun.

　　　Thai-Burma border tension eased, 30/MAY.　Thai and Burmese troops have withdrawn from a disputed island along the two countries' common border in a bid to reduce tensions over a long-running disagreement on the location of the borderline.
　　　Thai military officers say tensions intensified last weekend when Burmese troops were dispatched to protect a dredging crew on the small island on the Moei River, which forms a natural boundary between Thailand and Burma. The island, named KhokChangPuek by Thais in the area, was formed after a flood two years ago changed the course of the Moei River. The river has been the official borderline in the area since 1868 under the terms a treaty signed by the British colonial government in Burma and the royal government of Siam. Although Burma still claims the land as its territory, Thai farmers moved onto the island and said they had Thai government land deeds to back up their claims.
　　　The Thai farmers staged public protests when the Burmese brought in workers and heavy equipment to dredge the island in order to change the river back to its previous course. The potential for conflict increased when Thai troops were sent to the island to counter the Burmese move, digging in as close as 20 yards (meters) from the Burmese troops.
　　　The officers claimed Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh had given permission to the Burmese to dredge the river but had failed to inform Thai military units at the border.