BURMA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79R00890A000200050021-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: April 16, 2002
• Sequence Number: 21
• Publication Date: March 25, 1954
• Content Type: BRIEF

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RISC BRIEFING 25 March 1954
BURMA
BACKGROUND
I. Historical highlights.
Kingdom
Burma "independence
In August 1943, Japanese granted
I April 1937 when separated
became separate colony.
Remained province India until
1824, 1852 and 1885.
incorporated piece-meal
into British India in wars
D. March 1945, Anti-Fascist peoples
Freedom League (AFPFL), fouAded
Communists became spearhead
nationalist movement.
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Mid-1946, Communist Party
Burma (CPB) known a
Red
Flags, splits with the white
Flag Burma Communist Party
(BCP) and AFPFL and goes
underground,
F. Early 1947, BCP kicked out
Of AI"PFL,
4 Jan 48 (4:20 AM
determined
b7 astrologers as most pro-
pitious moment} independence
graut by British. AFPFL
assumed Power
and rejected
ties with
Commonwealth.
Feb 48, BCP
goes underground
bh orders received from USSR
via India Cl).
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July 48, pro-Commie Peoples
Volunteer Organization (PVO)
splits, majority (Yellow
Armed Band) going underground.
Remainder (White Armed Band)
remained with govt Elements
of three pro-Commie Burman
battalions mutiny and go
underground.
Feb 49 -- Karens go underground.
Main force consisted of three
battalions in army, elements
one Kachin army battalion
and undetermined number of
military policemen..
December 1950, pro-Commie wing
of Socialists, who dominate
'pFL, leave party and form
Burma Workers and Peasants
Party (BWPP) - become above-
ground instrument of BCP.
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Insurgent forces.
A. Surma, Communist Party (White
Flags) .
1. Leader Than Tun
Strength 5-6,000.
Location - central
and south Burma.
Communist Party of Burma
(Red Flags).
1. Leader Thakin Soe.
2. Strength - 1-2,000.
3. Location south and
west Burma.
Peoples Volunteer Organization
(Yellow Armed Band)-.
Leader - Bo Po Khun.
Strength - 3-4,000.
.Location - central
and south Burma.
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D.
Karens
1.
Leader
Hunter Tha Mw .
Strength
5-7,000.
3.
Location - south and
east Burma.
E. Arakanese (Mujahinds or 14iosf-',l
Want join E. Pakistan.
1. Leader Bo Cassim.
2. Strength - 500-1,000.
3. Location - West Burma.
III. Ethnic makeup.
A. Total population 19,000)0::!.
1. Burmans 13,000,000.
Inhabit heartland of.
Burma, are in the maj~.- ? i
in delta and coastlint.~
Tenasserim.
2. Karens - 3, 000, 000. n
delta, hills of eastez:.:
and southern Burma.
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khans - 1,000,000.
Inhabit Shan plateau in
east, north of Karens.
Chins 3-400,000. Located
in.Chin Kills of northwest..
Kachins 1-1.00;000.
Located in northern Burma.
Wa's - 1-200,000. Located
in northeast, between Shans
and Kachins.
Small number of Lahu'
Nagas, Lolo's, etc.
Located in 3ino-Burma
frontier area.
Chinese - 350,000.
Located mostly in towns.
Indians - 1,000,000.
Located mostly in towns.
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All ethnic minorities resent
Burman control in varying
degrees, have small degree
autonomy and reps. in parliament
but want more. Particularly
incensed over government's
Burmaniz.ation policies. Ba.rmaus
also have hard feeling towards
Indians and Chinese becaus of
the latter's ability to surpass
economically.
IV. Relations with China.
A. Burma., in December 1950, cecati
first' non-Orbit country to
recognize Peiping.
B. Much of Burma's border w t;_
China hay never been c]e= ry
sharked.
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77,000 sq. mi? of north Burma
has always been clainied by China,
and appears as Chinese territory
on Chinese Communist maps. But
.Burmese occupy
Official relations cordial,
trade agreement now being
negotiated-
E. UIowever Peiping embassy in
Rangoon involved with under
ground Communists and BWPP.
Russians believed to be too.
Burmese, partly from fear,
treat Chinese and Russian
diplomats with deference.
Chinese in Yunnan are also
training Shahs and Knchinl who
live on both sides of border.
'It :
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Peiping believed promoting
united front tactics of-BCP
both underground and above
ground. But haven't given
much material aid because of
disunity' and lack of base area.
1. Insurgents seeking to
work with other groups
in arms against govt.
2. Aboveground Commies
clamoring for peace
and coalition govt.
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