Burmese ethnic groups claim Tabayin incident undermines reconciliation efforts
DVB (2003 June 15)

It has been learned that five ethnic groups - Arakan Liberation Party, Chin National Front, Karenni National Progressive Party, Karen National Union, and Restoration Council of Shan State, have collectively issued a statement.
It was issued to commemorate the fourth anniversary of the formation of a military alliance group. The statement claimed the 30 May incident has proved that the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) has not only wiped the national reconciliation talks with their hands but has also increased its activities by using terrorist tactics.

DVB correspondent Khine Thazin presents the following report providing the details.

Khine Thazin : The statement said the SPDC military clique has engaged in and is still continuing extrajudicial killings, intimidation, and torture of ordinary people, the national races, and opposition political parties. Furthermore, although the opposition democratic forces, ethnic groups, and the international community have been vehemently asking the SPDC to solve political problems by rational political means, the 30 May Tabayin assault proved that the SPDC military clique has not only rejected national reconciliation talks but also increased its terrorist activities. Regarding the statement, Phado Mahn Sha, general secretary of the KNU, which is one of the members of the military alliance group, said the following.

Phado Mahn Sha : The SPDC has increased its offensive against the national races. Another point is we would like to show that the national reconciliation talks are not happening, not because of the national races, but because of the junta's increased terrorist acts against the ethnic groups. We would also like to say that the national races could not take the SPDC's increased terrorist assaults lying down and we are compelled to retaliate.

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 15 June 03
BBC monitoring service