Evening star., 1949-04-10
!. Burma Revolt Flares
Again, but Pattern
Puzzles Even Experts
BY the Assoeiotsd Press

RANGOON, Burma, April g.
? The collapse Of peace talks be-
tween Karens and the army re-
turns Burma to triangular revolt
whose pattern puzzles even the
: experts.
Karen tribeSmen, Communists
and members Of the White Band
Qeftist) Peoples Volunteer Or
ganization continue their fight for
power. Army deserters swell the
ranks of the Communists and the
PVO.
Observers believe the surrender
of the Karen tribesmen, to have
been started at suburban Insein
Friday. would have normalizer a
considerable part Of Burma and
released sizable army forces for
winding up the rest OF the civil
war.
The Insein surrender. however,
failed to come off. Saw Ba U CYL,
president of the Karen National
Union, mysteriously failed to re-
appear after entering Insein with
the reported purpose of arranging
= the capitulation. Army troops.
after a long wait, resumed their
attack on Insein, 10 miles north Of
Rangoon.
Clashes Near Mandalay.
Dispatches today told of clashes
in the Saying district near Man
dalay, the temple city govern
ment forces recently regained.
The civil war in Burma began
in March, 1948, soon after the
British granted independence, with
an upsurge of Trotskyite COM
munism. The PVO, militant one
time prop of the government,
split with the Rangoon regime
over the Communist issue and
took to the field.
The Karen uprising began at
Insein January 81. The Karens
wanted a state of their own. Some
other Burmese minority have set
up such states. The Karens con-
Quoted raids into Central Burma
and into the Irrawaddy delta
region. They clung to Insein de-
spite attacks by land and sea.
The three rebel groups hold
sway over various bits of terri
tory. Sometimes they fight each
other. Sometimes they join in
action against government forces.
Allies overnight become enemies
. without an obvious reason.
White Band FVOs have fought
for the government in South
Burma. In Central Burma they
! fight against the government,
, seizing towns and administering
them without Communist help.
Karen tribesmen in North and
Central Burma have joined forces
! with Communists. But in the r.
rawaddy delta there are constant
reports of Karen Communist
clashes.
Split Over Socialists.
A split is reported to have de-
veloped in the PVO over the So
cialist Party, which until last week
dominated Premier Thakin Nus
government. One group dubbed
the Socialists power seekers" and
refused to lay down arms until
the Socialist ministers quit. So
cialist ministers resigned. OBJ
servers considered this subtle
master stroke to take the wind
fro mPVO sails. But the PVOs
show no signs of dropping the re-
! volt.
Instead they have forwarded a
manifesto, with Communists and
army mutineers. proclaiming that
their intention to oust the present
regime is undiminished. Informed
sources said PVO leaders were dis
gruntled because they were not
included in Thakin Nus reshuf-
fed and streamlined cabinet.
While the civil war continues,
the country's economy remains
! crippled and threatened with a
further decline. The government
is making efforts to complete
shipments of rice, a major export,
but the loss of control of high
ways. rivers and ports has ham
pered the movement of quota
commitments.