Myanmar fighting forces "30,000" to flee to China

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Myanmar fighting forces "30,000" to flee to China
Fri Aug 28, 2009 7:13am EDT


By Chris Buckley

BEIJING (Reuters) - Fresh fighting has erupted between Myanmar forces and an armed ethnic group in the remote northeast, forcing tens of thousands to flee across the border into China, activists and state media said on Friday.

China called on Myanmar to maintain stability in the border region, even as the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that 30,000 civilians had fled the conflict.

"We also urge Myanmar to protect the security and legal rights of Chinese citizens in Myanmar," said the statement by spokeswoman Jiang Yu, on the ministry's website (????????????????)

The trouble may raise tension between China and Myanmar, whose military junta looks to Beijing as one of its few diplomatic backers and a crucial source of investment.

Thousands have fled this month from Kokang in Myanmar's Shan State after clashes there, which, according to a U.S.-based rights group, followed the deployment of troops in the area, home to a large number of ethnic Chinese.

The Washington-based U.S. Campaign for Burma, citing information from local journalists in contact with the ethnic groups, said on Friday that armed clashes had taken place for the first time in 20 years, breaking a ceasefire.

Fighting flared on Thursday, "leading residents from the Myanmar side to panic and flood in large numbers into our territory," according to a news website run by the official Yunnan Daily (???????????????????????????????) in China, bordering Myanmar.

Kokang, where the trouble erupted, is home to many ethnic Chinese and Chinese nationals, many of whom run businesses and trade across the border.

A Chinese man in his 40s, who fled back to the Chinese border town of Nansan after running a grocery in Kokang for over 10 years, told Reuters at least 10 civilians have been killed.

"They were not willing to abandon all they had worked for in Myanmar in the past decade, and refused to flee, and then they were killed," said the man, surnamed Cao.

"I can still hear the thunder of guns today," Cao said, adding that all his property in Myanmar, which he valued at hundreds of thousands of yuan, had been robbed.

Refugees were being steered to seven collection points, the main one holding more than 5,000 people, to receive instant noodles, water and temporary housing, a local source said.

"This has been building for a long time. The army has not only increased tensions and caused distress with the ethnic groups, they're straining ties with China," Aung Zaw, editor of the Thai-based Irrawaddy magazine, told Reuters.

"Beijing's biggest concern is stability near the border, and it is not pleased about what's happening now."

He Shengda, an expert on the region at the Yunnan Academy of Social Sciences, said Myanmar's efforts to impose its control on the region risked sparking wider conflict.

Myanmar fighting forces 30,000 to flee to China | International | Reuters
 

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One Chinese killed by bomb shot from Myanmar
2009-08-29 05:53:09 GMT2009-08-29 13:53:09 (Beijing Time) Global Times

The border between China and Myanmar
He Yongchun, Vice President of Yunnan Provincial Red Cross Society, confirmed that one Chinese was killed and several others were injured by a bomb thrown from across China's border with Myanmar.

Fierce fighting were reported in Myanmar's Kokang region in the northeastern part of the country between the Kokang ethnic army and the government forces in Saturday moring.

The fighting is near Yanglongzhai, a strategic place in Kokang where Kokang leader Pheung Kya-shin (Peng Jiasheng) and his fellows are hiding there. The battle is continuing by the press time.

A well-informed person revealed that about 480 government forces were garrisoning on a small hill in Kokang. This morning, they charged down the hill and had a fierce shootout with Kokang ethnic army.

Judged by the shot, light machine guns, tommy-guns and rifles were used in the battle.

Clashes broke out between Myanmar government troops and the Kokang army earlier this month and many people have fled Myanmar in fear.

By Saturday morning, about 30,000 people, including ethnic Kokang and Chinese businessmen, had crossed over from Myanmar into China's Yunnan.

China hoped Myanmar could properly solve its domestic issue to safeguard the regional stability of its bordering area with China, said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu on Friday.

She said China was paying close attention to the development of this issue and had expressed its concern to Myanmar through the diplomatic channel. "We also urge Myanmar to protect the safety and legal rights of Chinese citizens in Myanmar," Jiang said.

One Chinese killed by bomb shot from Myanmar - China News - SINA English
 

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Fresh violence near China-Myanmar border
Saibal Dasgupta, TNN 29 August 2009, 08:12pm IST


BEIJING: Stability on the China-Myanmar border was seriously threatened as fresh violence broke out in the border Kokang region of Myanmar, which is dominated by ethnic Chinese people. Influx of refugees continued into China despite a request from Beijing asking Yangon to stabilize the situation.

The Chinese media predicted a civil war in Myanmar while quoting a rebel leader in Kokang, Pheung Kya-shin, as saying his followers had killed 30 government soldiers. It also reported that a bomb was throwing across the border from Myanmar killing one person and injuring several others on the Chinese side. The local media quoted eye witnesses to say heavy fighting was going on across the border from China.

The flow of refugees, mostly ethnic Chinese, continued from Myanmar for the third day today although the flow may have decreased. Reports incidate that nearly 30,000 refugees have crossed into Nansan County in China’s southwest province of Yunnan in a desperate bid to escape a crackdown by the local police and military.

The Chinese government, which usually backs Yangon’s military junta in its troubles with the rest of the world over the issue of human rights, was seen as taking a stern stand on this issue. It asked the Myanmar government to solve its domestic problems in order to safeguard the regional stability in areas bordering China.

“We also urge Myanmar to protect the safety and legal rights of Chinese citizens in Myanmar," Jiang Yu, the Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

China's border defense troops have caught and disarmed a group of unidentified Myanmarese trying to cross the border on Saturday morning. China’s Global Times said the government has ordered the border forces to be on alert to prevent Myanmar’s conflict from spreading into China.

Two different reasons are being cited by different sources for the clashes in Kokang region, where a 20-year old truce between a local armed resistance force and the nation’s military has been breached. The local force, which is part of Kokang police, took on the military when it tried to inspect an arms factory on the suspicion that it was used as a base to store drugs.

Observers said the Myanmar military junta was trying to crush forces that refuse to fully come under its command ahead of the general elections next year. But dissidents including the armed police of Kokang do not wish to be under the command of the military.

The state-run Global Times said one of its correspondents was witness to fierce gunfire between the Kokang ethnic army and government forces. The sounds of shooting suggested that light machine guns, Tommy-guns and rifles were used in the battle, it said.

Fresh violence near China-Myanmar border - China - World - NEWS - The Times of India
 

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Fresh violence near China-Myanmar border
Saibal Dasgupta, TNN 29 August 2009, 08:12pm IST


BEIJING: Stability on the China-Myanmar border was seriously threatened as fresh violence broke out in the border Kokang region of Myanmar, which is dominated by ethnic Chinese people. Influx of refugees continued into China despite a request from Beijing asking Yangon to stabilize the situation.

The Chinese media predicted a civil war in Myanmar while quoting a rebel leader in Kokang, Pheung Kya-shin, as saying his followers had killed 30 government soldiers. It also reported that a bomb was throwing across the border from Myanmar killing one person and injuring several others on the Chinese side. The local media quoted eye witnesses to say heavy fighting was going on across the border from China.

The flow of refugees, mostly ethnic Chinese, continued from Myanmar for the third day today although the flow may have decreased. Reports incidate that nearly 30,000 refugees have crossed into Nansan County in China’s southwest province of Yunnan in a desperate bid to escape a crackdown by the local police and military.

The Chinese government, which usually backs Yangon’s military junta in its troubles with the rest of the world over the issue of human rights, was seen as taking a stern stand on this issue. It asked the Myanmar government to solve its domestic problems in order to safeguard the regional stability in areas bordering China.

“We also urge Myanmar to protect the safety and legal rights of Chinese citizens in Myanmar," Jiang Yu, the Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

China's border defense troops have caught and disarmed a group of unidentified Myanmarese trying to cross the border on Saturday morning. China’s Global Times said the government has ordered the border forces to be on alert to prevent Myanmar’s conflict from spreading into China.

Two different reasons are being cited by different sources for the clashes in Kokang region, where a 20-year old truce between a local armed resistance force and the nation’s military has been breached. The local force, which is part of Kokang police, took on the military when it tried to inspect an arms factory on the suspicion that it was used as a base to store drugs.

Observers said the Myanmar military junta was trying to crush forces that refuse to fully come under its command ahead of the general elections next year. But dissidents including the armed police of Kokang do not wish to be under the command of the military.

The state-run Global Times said one of its correspondents was witness to fierce gunfire between the Kokang ethnic army and government forces. The sounds of shooting suggested that light machine guns, Tommy-guns and rifles were used in the battle, it said.

Fresh violence near China-Myanmar border - China - World - NEWS - The Times of India
 

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Myanmar rebels surrender in China
Saibal Dasgupta, TNN 30 August 2009, 08:24pm IST


BEIJING: Some of the 30,000 odd refugees who fled into China have begun to return to their homes across the border after clashes subsided in Myanmar on Sunday, Chinese official sources said.

Some of the armed Myanmar rebels, who had sneaked into China, have surrendered to Chinese authorities. The local government did not clarify whether they will be handed over to the military authorities in Myanmar, whom they had been fighting.

The surrender might cause problems for Chinese government, which may be under pressures from Myanmar to hand over the rebels. China is one of Myanmar’s closest allay and had protected it from international sanctions by using its veto power in the United Nations Security Council.

China rushed senior officials to examine the sensitive situation in the border region and talk to the surrendered rebels, many of whom are ethnic Chinese. It may be politically difficult for Chinese authorities to hand over the rebels to the Myanmar military.

"There was no way we would win," former rebel Ri Chenchuan told the Chinese media as he exchanged battle gear for ordinary clothes. The rebels, who formed part of the local police in the border region of Kokang, were clearly outmanned by the Myanmar army.
Campaign for Burma, a Washington based non-government organization, said about 700 Myanmar rebels fled fled from thousands of military troops into China. But tensions remained high in Konkang.

"The majority of the Kokang troops have surrendered to China," said Aung Din, the campaign's executive director. But is not clear if Peng Jiashen, who was recently interviewed by the Chinese media, has also surrendered on the Chinese side.

Myanmar rebels surrender in China - China - World - NEWS - The Times of India
 

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