Sunshine Over Moonshine

Things were looking up a bit in Burma. The government had driven both the two chief rebel forces, the Karens and the White Flag Communists, from their respective strongholds, Toungoo and Prome. Last week the government had one less foe in its many-sided civil war: the White Band PVOs (People's Volunteer Organization) surrendered. PVO Leader Bo La Yaung (whose name means "Officer Moonshine") talked with War Minister Bo Ne Win (whose name means "Officer Sunshine"), then ordered his 7,000 troops to "emerge from darkness and work in the light in a democratic way." Thus ended Burma's third biggest insurgent group.

Besides the Karens and the White Flag Communists, the government must still cope with Red Flag Communists, Yellow Band PVOs, and scattered Mon Shan,

Chin and Kachin guerrillas. But in the Irrawaddy valley and along the Rangoon-Mandalay railway line, it has made more progress in the past month than in the previous year. Prime Minister Thakin Nu has said that as soon as Bur,ma is pacified he will become a Buddhist monk. He may possibly have his wish.

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