Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06RANGOON624
2006-05-09 09:46:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Rangoon
Cable title:
FOOD SHORTAGES AND ROADWORK IN NORTHERN KAREN
how-toVZCZCXRO8121 OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH DE RUEHGO #0624/01 1290946 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 090946Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY RANGOON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4537 INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0856 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 9631 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 4144 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1600 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3325 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 6726 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 4340 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 0733 RUEHCN/AMCONSUL CHENGDU 0734 RUDKIA/AMCONSUL CHIANG MAI 0380 RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2665 RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0308 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000624
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2016
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM ECON PREF BM
SUBJECT: FOOD SHORTAGES AND ROADWORK IN NORTHERN KAREN
REF: A. RANGOON 603
B. RANGOON 591
C. RANGOON 521
RANGOON 00000624 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Vice Consul Walter Parrs III for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 RANGOON 000624
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2016
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM ECON PREF BM
SUBJECT: FOOD SHORTAGES AND ROADWORK IN NORTHERN KAREN
REF: A. RANGOON 603
B. RANGOON 591
C. RANGOON 521
RANGOON 00000624 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Vice Consul Walter Parrs III for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) Summary: A recent trip to Taungoo near northern Karen
State provided a new dimension to the ongoing conflict
between the GOB and the Karen National Union (KNU). The GOB
has halted all transportation of food and other goods into
the area of northern Karen, resulting in food shortages in
Karen villages and the threat of starvation. However, ARMY
activity appears almost non-existent along the only access
route into the conflict area. The most significant activity
we observed were preparations for large-scale road upgrades
from Taungoo east towards the Thai border. This may indicate
that efforts to secure trade routes have led to recent
conflicts with the Karen. End Summary.
2. (C) On May 5, Emboffs traveled by car to Taungoo, a town
of 200,000 situated in Bago Division just west of the area of
northern Karen State embroiled in recent conflict. There, we
met with local religious leaders who described how GOB
roadblocks prevent food from entering northern Karen State,
imposing hardships on Karen villages. For the past two
months, the leaders claim a GOB checkpoint four miles east of
Taungoo has stopped all transportation of rice, salt, and
other goods from entering Karen State. Burmese ARMY (BA)
soldiers inspect the contents of all vehicles passing through
the checkpoint and confiscate any food destined for Karen
villages. Sympathizers in Taungoo try to cross the
checkpoint with concealed rice, or to circumvent the
checkpoints altogether by carrying rice in on foot. The road
east from Taungoo provides the only access to the conflict
area.
3. (C) Local contacts in Taungoo said they had seen no
evidence of either a major GOB offensive or strikes by the
KNU against the BA. Nonetheless, BA units continue to
debilitate Karen villages through forced relocations and the
supply cutoff, a standard BA strategy to weaken the support
network of guerrilla KNU soldiers. Father Phomin of the
Taungoo Catholic Diocese expressed fears that the supply
blockade will take a greater toll when the monsoon season
begins in June, forcing villagers to Thailand in search of
sustenance.
All's Quiet on the Western Front
4. (C) We observed a notable lack of military activity or
presence in the Taungoo region, even though it provides the
only access to the conflict area. We observed no military
convoys, no movement of injured troops out of the conflict
zone, and no supply trucks heading in. We heard some reports
of injured civilians and soldiers arriving at the Taungoo
hospital, but no descriptions of large amounts of casualties.
Local sources also dispelled rumors of Karen villagers
fleeing west into Bago Division. Occasional villagers come
down from the hills in search of food, but they return after
a few hours or days, explained one contact.
5. (C) While military activity appears quiet around Taungoo,
the GOB has made major preparations for road construction
across northern Karen. We traveled along a fifteen mile
stretch of the road entering northern Karen, and observed
five or six active stone grinding stations preparing material
for road construction. The large amount of building material
already prepared indicates a large scale roadwork project,
likely designed to reach all the way to the Thai border.
6. (C) Comment: The apparent lack of troops or supply
operations at the mouth of the only access route to the
RANGOON 00000624 002.2 OF 002
conflict zone supports separate reporting that the GOB's
military operation is something less than a major offensive
(refs A-C). Cutting food supplies certainly shows hostile
intent. The plans to build a major new road through the area
add an interesting dimension to recent skirmishes, however,
indicating that current conflict may be more about
establishing a secure trade route between Thailand and the
new capital at Pyinmana than about finally quashing the KNU.
End comment.
VILLAROSA
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; PACOM FOR FPA
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/08/2016
TAGS: PINS PGOV PHUM ECON PREF BM
SUBJECT: FOOD SHORTAGES AND ROADWORK IN NORTHERN KAREN
REF: A. RANGOON 603
B. RANGOON 591
C. RANGOON 521
RANGOON 00000624 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Vice Consul Walter Parrs III for Reasons 1.4 (b,d)
1. (C) Summary: A recent trip to Taungoo near northern Karen
State provided a new dimension to the ongoing conflict
between the GOB and the Karen National Union (KNU). The GOB
has halted all transportation of food and other goods into
the area of northern Karen, resulting in food shortages in
Karen villages and the threat of starvation. However, ARMY
activity appears almost non-existent along the only access
route into the conflict area. The most significant activity
we observed were preparations for large-scale road upgrades
from Taungoo east towards the Thai border. This may indicate
that efforts to secure trade routes have led to recent
conflicts with the Karen. End Summary.
2. (C) On May 5, Emboffs traveled by car to Taungoo, a town
of 200,000 situated in Bago Division just west of the area of
northern Karen State embroiled in recent conflict. There, we
met with local religious leaders who described how GOB
roadblocks prevent food from entering northern Karen State,
imposing hardships on Karen villages. For the past two
months, the leaders claim a GOB checkpoint four miles east of
Taungoo has stopped all transportation of rice, salt, and
other goods from entering Karen State. Burmese ARMY (BA)
soldiers inspect the contents of all vehicles passing through
the checkpoint and confiscate any food destined for Karen
villages. Sympathizers in Taungoo try to cross the
checkpoint with concealed rice, or to circumvent the
checkpoints altogether by carrying rice in on foot. The road
east from Taungoo provides the only access to the conflict
area.
3. (C) Local contacts in Taungoo said they had seen no
evidence of either a major GOB offensive or strikes by the
KNU against the BA. Nonetheless, BA units continue to
debilitate Karen villages through forced relocations and the
supply cutoff, a standard BA strategy to weaken the support
network of guerrilla KNU soldiers. Father Phomin of the
Taungoo Catholic Diocese expressed fears that the supply
blockade will take a greater toll when the monsoon season
begins in June, forcing villagers to Thailand in search of
sustenance.
All's Quiet on the Western Front
4. (C) We observed a notable lack of military activity or
presence in the Taungoo region, even though it provides the
only access to the conflict area. We observed no military
convoys, no movement of injured troops out of the conflict
zone, and no supply trucks heading in. We heard some reports
of injured civilians and soldiers arriving at the Taungoo
hospital, but no descriptions of large amounts of casualties.
Local sources also dispelled rumors of Karen villagers
fleeing west into Bago Division. Occasional villagers come
down from the hills in search of food, but they return after
a few hours or days, explained one contact.
5. (C) While military activity appears quiet around Taungoo,
the GOB has made major preparations for road construction
across northern Karen. We traveled along a fifteen mile
stretch of the road entering northern Karen, and observed
five or six active stone grinding stations preparing material
for road construction. The large amount of building material
already prepared indicates a large scale roadwork project,
likely designed to reach all the way to the Thai border.
6. (C) Comment: The apparent lack of troops or supply
operations at the mouth of the only access route to the
RANGOON 00000624 002.2 OF 002
conflict zone supports separate reporting that the GOB's
military operation is something less than a major offensive
(refs A-C). Cutting food supplies certainly shows hostile
intent. The plans to build a major new road through the area
add an interesting dimension to recent skirmishes, however,
indicating that current conflict may be more about
establishing a secure trade route between Thailand and the
new capital at Pyinmana than about finally quashing the KNU.
End comment.
VILLAROSA