Myanmar warns against more mine attacks by rebel groups

Yangon, Dec 24 (Xinhua) The military government of Myanmar Monday warned people against more mine attacks by the Kayin National Union (KNU), the largest ethnic armed group, and called on them to remain vigilant against any such incidents.

The authorities also accused the National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB), an anti-government group in exile, of financing the KNU, to purchase arms and ammunition, official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported.

The KNU received cash assistance from Major Robert John Still of the US Air Force Dec 6 for the same purpose, the newspaper said.

The paper earlier reported that some KNU members detonated a mine and fired small arms at a passenger bus Dec 18 in the border area in northeastern Kayin state with Thailand, killing eight people and wounding six others.

The authorities charged the KNU with constantly committing all destructive acts such as undermining stability of the state, community peace and tranquillity and prevalence of law and order.

According to earlier reports, the ethnic rebels had also carried out a mine blast in Loikaw village in Kayah state Dec 12, which killed eight people and injured several others.

In June this year, about 27 people were killed and 11 others wounded in two shooting sprees on passenger buses by unidentified insurgent groups in Kayin and Kayah states.

Since the government adopted a policy of national reconciliation in 1989, 17 main anti-government armed groups have made peace with the government under respective ceasefire agreements, leaving the largest of them, the KNU, out of the legal fold.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

More World News click here