karen new year journal(last final)
TRANSCRIPT
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Karen National NewYear celebrations are heldduring the pleasant month ofPyathoe (on the Romancalendar ? Dec/Jan). Peoplemark the occasion by soundingthe Karen horn and drum, tomaintain the tradition of theKaren New Year, until the end
of time. Officially, the KarenNew Year began in 1938.Celebrations were first held in1939 .It was on the first ofJanuary 1938, (which that yearcorresponded with the first ofPyathoe), that Karen nationalleaders demands to the Britishadministration for the KarenNew Year were finally recog-
nized, and declared an officialholiday. That date was alsoformally acknowledged asbeing the year 2677 on theKaren calendar.In fact, themovement for a distinct Karennational day was begun by SayaSan Baw, in 1935. As memberof parliament for Tharyawati
District, he argued that a KarenNational Day should beintroduced. However, theBritish colonial administrationsuggested that a Karen NewYear day would be a betteralternative. In 1937, the Karenparliamentary representativesagain presented the case for aKaren National Da, again
unsuccessfully. The KarenNational Association (KNA)realized that they instead had towork towards the Karen NewYear day. On 2 August 1937,Saw Johnson Deepominn,member of parliament for Taun-goo District, presented the caseto the lower house. However
the Karen representatives in thechamber were split in theirsupport across the two sides ofparliament ? U Pu’s governingfaction, and the opposition leadby Dr. Ba Maw. As the demandswere coming from a memberKaren ministers. The demandwas retabled, and passed.
History of the Karen National New Year
Karen New Year Celebration Committee, Sydney(December, 2009)
Karen New Year Celebration Committee, Sydney
2
EDITORIALBa Maw’s cabinet
ratified the proposal, andpresented it to the GovernorGeneral for approval. In late1937, the Governor Generalsigned the legislation. The firstday of Pyathoe, 1938 (KarenYear 2677), was declared thefirst Karen New Year.
Initially, the Karenleaders had been divided overthe best day forthe New Year tofall on.Threealtern- ativeswere putforward. 1. Thesame day as theRoman calendar.2.The date when (themissionary) Dr. Judson firstarrived in Burma. 3.The firstday of Pyathoe. The optionswere discussed and the matterresolved. The first alternativehas global significance, and itwas felt that a distinctive datefor the Karen New Year wouldbe more appropriate. As for thesecond alterna- tive,Dr. Judsonwas a Christian missionary, sothis date would be suitable forChristians, but not Karens ofother religions. The first day ofPyathoe was best.
Additionally themonth of Pyathoe is special for
This is a significant year forthe Sydney Karencommunity- celebratingKaren New Year in a singlevenue, under one bannerand showing oneness as acommunity affair. It is great.
As an editorial team weunderstand the value ofunity and its sensitivitiessurround.
We have taken great effortsin fulfilling the wishes ofthe community andpresented a new version ofKaren New Year Journal tothe community.
Sincerely
The editorial teamPahtee BenyaTee Saw GyiSaw Eh Kaw
Karen New YearCelebration Committee,Sydney, Australia.
Karen cultural solidarity, giventhe following reasons:1. Although Karens havedifferent names for Pyathoe(Sgaw Karens call it Th’lay andfor Pwo Karens, Htike KaukPo) the first of each of thesemonths falls on exactly thesame date.2.The rice harvest is completedin the period leading to Pyathoe,
a n daccordingto Karentraditionalreligiouspractice,t h e r emust be
acelebra- tion for consump-tionof the new crop. It is also thetime to divine the date forcommencement of the nextcrop. Typically, this is alsowhen new houses areconstructed, and the completionof these must be celebrated.3.The first of Pyathoe is not adistinct festival for any religiousgroup, so it is a day that isacceptable to all Karen people.
For these reasons, onthe first of Pyathoe annually, wecelebrate the Karen New Year.Referenceby Mahn Thint Naung(Kawkareik District 1976)
3
Today we recall our heritage, our ancient poet, prophets and our tradition of Ywa(God). We believethat every individual, every home, every village has a place in the new advance. Progressive inthinking, constructive in planning, and courageous in living, we can share responsibility withother communities for the making of Burma a united people.This is a historic day. It is our first officially recognized National Day. It is a day of opportunity.We are emerging from isolation into the stream of national affairs. Our conviction is that our twomillion Karen have a significant part to play in Burma’s destiny.We owe our existence a people not to organization or any political arrangements but to certaindistinctive qualities that beer given us, Our traits include simplicity, a love of music, honesty,steadiness, and sense of God. We believe that we can best keep and develop these characteristicsin free association with other people. We are at a crisis. For us the choice lies between seekingprotection through isolation, or adventure through active participation in the live of Burma. Unitedourselves, we could help to make Burma a nation. We recognize that as leaders we must be fullycommittee to our country free from fear, personal ambition, racial and religious prejudice.Are we ready on this New Year’s Day to put the best traditions of our people at the service of ourpeople at the service of this whole country?SignedSan C.Po, Shwe Ba , Hla Pe, Sydney Loo Nee, Saw petha
The First Karen New Year Message, 1938
Happy Karen New Year to all!I would like to thank to the Sydney Karen New Year
Celebration Committee and also those who are participating andattending to make this auspicious day a successful event.
The Karen New Year day is one of the most significantoccasions to all Karen people regardless of their religiousaffiliations or geographical differences. It falls on the same day inKaren Calendar.
I am here to say that our Karen leaders had fought so hard toleave this day to be officially recognized as we are here to pay
tribute to those leaders and uphold the auspiciousness of the day as our duty.More over the recent Karen refugees migrations to the outside world has opened up a new
chapter for the Karen New Year celebrations. Today the celebrations are no longer restricted to ourhome land. It has spread all over the world in countries such as Australia, New Zealand, America,United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, the Netherlands, South Africa and many more. There will beplenty more Karen New Year Celebrations in the coming years.
There is a stark reminder that the Karen New Year Celebration is a part of our traditions. Asa whole, our traditions must be alive. To keep our traditions, first we must be free.
We were obviously not free in our home land. We struggled barely survive. We areindigenous ethnics to a land called Burma and belong to the most numbers in refugee populationrecognized by the United Nations.
We fought so hard for the struggle for justice to be known in the international arenas. Wethough did not get very far as we were so far away in the jungle. Now as we are here in betterplaces, please make great efforts to continue our struggle for those of our brothers and sisters whoare left behind in the jungle.
With best wishesROSTAN PO
Karen elder’s forwards
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OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERKAREN NATIONAL UNION
KAWTHOOLEI
New Year Address by KNU President Saw Tamlabaw
All the Karen People at Home and Abroad,
Leaders & Comrades,
Day one of the maxing moon of Thalay month, the year 2749, which fall on December 16, 2009 is the New Year Day of
the Karen people. It is a delight for us again to be celebrating a new auspicious year and I wish each and every Karen living in
various places a Happy New Year and to have a good health of both the body and mind!
First, I would like to say that our Karen people are not a small minority. The Karen were the first people to enter in this
land now known as Burma in 739 B.C. and lived, peacefully and in freedom, as a people for over a thousand year. However, since
the feudal days, the Karen people have not known much peace and freedom because of violent attacks and suppression by the
despotic Mon and Burman kings and now by the chauvinist Burman militarists.
Being a nationality in this country, it is necessary for the Karen people to have the rights befitting a nationality such as the rights
of national self-determination for self development. In this respect, I would like to remind you that it is vital for us to maintain and
protect our language, literature and culture. In the eastern Karen area, the existence of the Karen resistance and the KNU has
made it still possible for the Karen people to speak their language and study their literature. The majority of the Karen in the towns
and cities and the Irrawaddy Delta can hardly speak, read and write their language as they have, to a great extent, lost the rights
to maintain their culture. All of us must seriously note about this matter. At the same time, we must recognize the role of the Karen
patriots and community leaders, in towns and cities and in the Delta, who have been working to prevent disappearance of the
Karen as a people, due to loss of their language and literature. As a result of the work of these persons, the Karen language and
literature are surviving to a certain extent in those places.
While struggling for the their national rights, quite a number of the Karen people have migrated to places all over the world and it
is necessary for them to make maximum effort to maintain the Karen language, literature and culture, so as to prevent disappearance
of the Karen people from this planet earth.
Secondly, I would like to say that in the review of our history, we see that successive rulers have practiced repression and
atrocities against the Karen people causing a lot of bitterness to us. We still are denied our birth rights up to this day. The Karen
problem is a political problem and successive Karen leaders have tried to resolve the problem by political means. However, we
have to continue the revolutionary resistance up to this day, as the successive military cliques in power have refused to accept
resolution of conflict peacefully and continued to wipe us out by force of arms.
Accordingly, in our struggle to liberate ourselves from repression and enslavement, we must be politically alert, unite without
discrimination as to religious creed and ideology, and be especially alert so as not to be tricked by the enemy and traitors.
Thirdly, I would like to say that, in addition to repression and enslavement of the Karen people, the military regime in power has
been systematically sowing dissension among the Karen people, make the Karen youths to become narcotic drug addicts andc0.-
reate misunderstanding using religious differences. Successive military regimes have been systematically practicing the policy of
genocide against the Karen people by using increasing repression, torture and extra-judicial killing and, at the same time, launching
military offensives against the Karen in the eastern part of the country, destroying the livelihood of the people and planting
landmines around farms and villages with the intention of maiming and killing the civilian population.
Fourthly, I would like to say that the year 2010 is a very perilous year, because the military regime, with the intention of obliterating
the birth rights of self-determination of the ethnic nationalities, is carrying out programs in accordance with the state constitution
it has fraudulently drafted and adopted by force.
The KNU is opposing the SPDC adopted constitution and the election, which will bring no guarantee and rights to the ethnic
nationalities. Every move of the KNU has political meaning and is aimed to liberate the Karen people from oppression and give the
Karen people the right to exist as a nationality with dignity, or to establish a federal union with full democracy and in which the
Karen people has the right to decide their own destiny.
The political struggle has direct relation to the fate of the Karen people and it is the responsibility of every Karen to bear. For that
reason, on this auspicious occasion, it is my earnest wish and exhortation to each and every Karen, living in various places, to
stand firmly under the leadership of the KNU and take up any responsibility available in the struggle for liberation of the Karen
people, with new vigor and unity, in cooperation with fellow ethnic nationality forces and democratic forces, until victory is achieved.
***
5
Ya Pwar Kalu Yè HérPwar Lé A Gay Ker Tur
Ya Eh Doh NarNa Eh Ta Taw Ta Loe
Ta Mwee Na Eh Tu LoeNa Tar Aÿþ Gay Koe Myoe
Ya Eh Doh Ma
Karen National Flag and Amthem
Our flag represents dignity for all Karen people. Red is for bravery, white is for purity and blue isfor loyalty. In the corner there is a “Klo,” a sacred Karen drum. We use this drum on specialoccasions like weddings, New Year’s Day and funerals. The Klo is made of metal, tin or gold andonly the community leaders strike it.
Oh, our dear peoplePeople who are the bestYou are deeply loved
You love the righteousnessI admire your hospitality
Every single detail of yoursI really do admire...
Serial No Name Constituency Religion
1 Saw Johnson D.Po Min Taunggo Byamasoh
2 Saw Mya Thein Henzada Buddhist
3 Mahn Ba Khaing Bassein North. Christian
4 Saw Sydney Loo Nee Bassein South Christian
5 Saw Pe Tha Myauangmya West Christian
6 Mahn Kan Aye Myauangmya East Buddhist
7 Mahn Tun Khin Ma U Bin North Buddhist
8 Mahn Shwe Nyunt Ma U Bin South Buddhist
9 Saw Tha Dwe Thaton North Buddhist
10 U Hla Lpe Thaton South Buddhist
11 U Poe Mying Kyaik nKame East Buddhist
12 Saw Poe Chit Kyaik Kame West Christian
12 Of the Karen National Member of Parliament(1938)
6
The Independent Karen Histo-
rical Research Association
(IKHRA), whilst giving a chron-
ology of the settlement of the
Karens, sees them leaving
Mongolia in BC 2017 and
making their way to East
Turkistan where it is believed
they stayed for 147 years. By
1864 B.C. they had left East
Turkistan, crossed Gobi
desert, to settle in Tibet,
here they stayed for 476
years before moving
eastwards to Yunnan.
The Gobi measures over
1500 kilometers from
southwest to northwest
and 800 kilometers from
south to north. The desert
is widest in the west along
the line joining the
Baghrash and the largest
desert in the world as well
as Asia’s largest.The
southwest direction from
Mongolia led the Karen to cross
Taklamakan (now known as
Tarim), a desert of the central
Asia in the Xingjian Uyzhur
Autonomous Region of the
People’s Republic of China. It is
known as the longest sand-only
desert in the world. Some
references fancifully state that
Taklamakan means “If you go in,
you won’t come out”, others
state that it means “Desert of
Death” or “Place of no Return”.
The Karen word for Gobi is Kaw
Bi (hidden country) which
means that the land was
inhabited but invisible. Along
the journey they heard strange
noises calling their names,
sounds of music and melodies,
sound of animals and humans
passing by. Some voices were
familiar and the travelers
thought that their friends were
showing them the way.Those
who were lured to follow sweet
voices and strange apparitions
lost in the desert and no one
knew what happened to them.
The leaders noticed that desert
began claiming her tolls in an
alarming rate. Their numbers
had decreased dramatically and
saw the need to devise a strategy
so that the whole race might be
saved. Improvised warning
instruments were put on every
livestock so that it could not be
easily trekked if they were
strayed. Unique marks were
invented from every possible
resource, and they were to be
borne on every individual to
keep their identity and ward of
any strangers. Perhaps tying the
wrist with white thread was one
and later it developed as a
traditional “Wrist Tying
Ceremony” in Karen’s culture.
The fact still remained that they
emerged from the desert as a
nation. In this campaign one
unique attribute emanated to be
reckoned. The Karens were not
rebellious and rowdy people.
They were obedient and
organized in their characters
and ready to be led by
any effective leaders.
What style of leadership
they practiced at that
time? By noticing their
way of life and the faith
in the Supreme Deity, the
Karens were led by the
patriarchs of respective
families. Without leaders
it was impossible for a
nation to survive the
risks and dangers of
nature in the first
journey as well as the
onslaught of nature’s super
beings in the second journey.
Lob Nor
When the Karen emerged
successfully from the Gobi
desert they arrived at a place
called Lop Nor. In the past Lop
Nor was a land green with
pasture and rich soil. The big
lake supplied water needed by a
large population and their
livestock. When the Karen lived
in Lop Nor around (2013-1866
BC), civilization in China had
already been witnessed Dynas-
ties were established by lords
and kings of the region. Most of
the contending states centered
Who are the Karen?
Nomadic migratory period (BC 2017-1125)
7
around the yellow sea, so the
Karens had liberty to stay away
from warring states and lived
peacefully. The slash and burn
cultivation required large area of
forest. As the population increa-
sed, the Karens sensed that Lop
Nor was not a good permanent
place for large population. There
was not enough land for every
family to make a living. A few
ventured south, seeking rich soil
and fresh water to sustain their
families. The climatic changes
could alter the physical feature
of the land any time. Forewarned
of worse environment and less
harvest yield and to avoid
coming disasters, the bulk of
Karen people moved again in
1866 BC, leaving some
remnants. They chose the
southward direction, climbed
the world’s highest mountains
and finally entered a land called
Tibet (now Xizang Zizhiou) in
1864 BC. They lived there for
476 years. The Karens left Tibet
in 1388 B.C, covered a distance
of more than 2,000 Kilometers
in 3 years of duration. They
moved eastward to the valleys
and plains of China’s Yunnan
Province and settled down in
many places.
Why did the Karens fail to
build a nation?
Even though the Karens had
been a large race, crossed many
unexplored boundaries, covered
long distance of more than
10,000 Kilometers, resided as
the first settlers in many lands,
they never thought of claiming
the land as their own and built
walls and ramparts for their
defense. So many possibilities
can be accounted for this long
asked question.
• The Karens were one of
the most ancient tribes survived
to this day and their nomadic
lives had been the first political
system ancient people developed
in keeping a tribe or a race
together.
• The Karens avoided
belligerent and warlike races
who in times past established
city-states by subduing other
tribes. (These conquerors
sustained themselves by
demanding heavy taxes on their
subjects and looting their
neighbors).
• The Karens were not
interested in trading which
made traditional kingdoms of
the region powerful.
• The Karens race comp-
rised largely of slash and burn
cultivators, hunters and
fishermen who enjoyed outdoor
lives.
• Even though they never
lacked good leaders for guidance
and instruction, they still need
more effective leaders to make
their dreams come true.
• The Karens were
probably following the course of
history to fulfill the prophecies
made for them by their charis-
matic and enigmatic leaders.
The Chinese called this large
race that co-inhabited the land
with them since the beginning,
“Ping Sing” and as years went
by the name changed to
“T’Chien” which sounded in the
Burmese ear “Kayin”. When the
British ruled the land, they
called them “Karen”.
The first wave of Karens which
comprised of 99 families left
Yunnan in 1128 B.C. There was
no record of how big the size of
each family. They forked to
follow three routes and after
three adventurous years
probably in 1125 B.C, the Karen
were scattered throughout the
new land which they named it
Kaw Lah, and are now realized
as Burma/Myanmar.The second
group left Yunnan and followed
the river called Mae Oo (Shewli)
and entered the land now known
as Myanmar.Kwe Ka Baw
became the center for Karen
People and they came here to
make a living, built villages and
towns. It is also the center of
Karen cultural, education and
social affairs. The Karen State
was materialized in the year
1952 and Kwe Ka Baw became
its capital. Until now it is known
by a less popular name “Pa-an”.
The sub-tribes of these main
Karen tribes always stayed along
side with the main branch
through thick and thin.British
fought three wars with Burma
which led to colonization of
Burma in 1824 for another 124
years.
Colonial period (1824-1948)
The Young Monks Buddhist
Association (YMBA), which had
been formed in 1908 by Maung
Maung Gyi, Maung Ba Pe and
number of others, sent a deleg-
ation to the hearing to ask for
separation from Burma. Simil-
arly a Daw K’lu delegation
comprising amongst others San
C Po, who had by then studied
under the missionary Charles
Nichols and had completed part
of his education in America, also
found themselves at the
8
meeting, but in contrast to the
YMBA, had reported, ever fearful
of Burman domination, that
Burma was not ready for self-
determination, and instead
should remain under the British
Government, an opinion which
found no support amongst the
Burmans in attendance Sir San
C Po, a member of the Legislative
Council, also became president
of the Daw K’lu in 1925, traveled
to London to argue that Burma
was not ready for self-rule, and
aired his fears that should this
happen then the Karens would
be once again victims of the
prejudices of the Burmans.
The Karens were already
victims of Burman
assimilation and should the
administration be turned over
to them they would be victims
of yet more discrimination in
regards to education, and the
justice system. Aware that
should the Burmans be given
that control he requested that
the Karens be given their own
territory with the right of self-
governance. The first day of the
month of ‘Pyatho’ as Karen New
Years Day was approved and
recognized by the British
government December 21st,
1938 with the first celebr- ations
commencing in 1939. Karen
members of Parliament by the
end the year included San C Po,
Sydney Loo Nee, Mahn Shwe
Bar, U Hla Pe, and Saw Pe Tha.
The Japanese Occupation
The Burman students, with
their hope for freedom from the
British, returned with the
imperial Japanese army and
declared independence for the
country on the 1st August 1943.
The Karen, ever loyal to the
British, sought to fight against
the Japanese and the Burma
Independence army and
subsequently bore the brunt of
the rampaging, pre-dominantly
Burman, Burma Independence
Army who tore through Karen
state executing and massacring
a number of villagers.
Over 400 villages were destroyed
with the loss of life of at least
1800 in Myaungma alone.
Perhaps one of the most
shocking incidents for the Karen
people however, was the
assassination of a former pre-
war cabinet member Saw Pe Tha
and his family. Saw Pe Tha had
also been a member of the Daw
K’lu and his death was to have
a major impact on the Karens,
and their treatment at the hands
of the Burma Army was to be
something they would never
forget. A report to the Burmese
government saw the Karens
loyalty to the British has a major
reason why the massacres were
necessary. The Burmans saw
the Karens as British collab-
orators and bearing in mind that
the Karen troops cracked down
a number of Burmese people’s
anti-colonial rebellions, inclu-
ding the famous Tharawaddy
peasants rebellion led by Saya
San, believed such actions were
justified. Despite the animosity
between the Karens and the BIA
two battalions of delta Karens
commanded by San Po Thin and
British trained Hanson Kyadoe
joined the Burmese army. But
the majority of Karens remained
loyal to the British and escaped
into India where they were
trained by the British and
returned later to harass the BIA
and their Japanese masters.
After the Japanese
declaration of war in 1941
a number of British officers
were sent from Singapore
to Burma to plan anti-
Japanese operations
should the country fall.
One officer Major H.P.
Seagrim had been assigned
the task of training and
working with the Karens in
preparation for the
oncomingJapanese invasion
Papun was the first place
Seagrim arrived and soon he
was training 200 Karen to act as
a guerilla force against the
advancing Japanese. Soon after
his arrival in Papun, Seagrim
moved his headquarters to a
number of small Karen villages
in Pyawgapu, north-west of
Papun, here he was able to
recruit over 800 Karen villagers
who were eager to join in the
training, but due to the lack of
weapons, many had to return
home after having their names
taken for call up later.
Seagrim and number of Karen
Levies who had worked with him
were arrested and taken to
9
Rangoon. Here the Japanese
authorities passed sentence and
recommended that Seagrim and
several of his Karen followers, Lt.
Bo Gyaw, Saw He Be, Saw Tun
Lin, Saw Sunny, Saw Pe, Saw
Peter and Saw Ah Din be
executed, whilst ten other Karen
be imprisoned.
Post Independence
The British immediately
recognized Aung San, a national
hero, and his Anti-Fascist
People’s Freedom League, as
being the way forward for
governance in Burma. The
Karen Central Organization,
which had emerged during the
war, called for the creation of a
United Frontier Karen State
which also included areas of
Thailand going down as far as
Chang Mai. The British totally
ignored the request, but
regardless the KCO still made a
number of requests which finally
resulted in a four man
delegation of lawyers, visiting
London and requesting,
unsuccessfully, a separate state.
A number of British officials
warned the government in
London that the Karens should
be given some rights towards
autonomy, yet the British
continued to dispute such
claims and the Karen became
more impatient and began
boycotting the Burmese Govern-
ment’s Executive Council and
the elections for the Constituent
assembly. In 1947 the Karen
National Union was founded to
represent the legitimate Karen
request for a separate state
whilst Aung San tried to unite
all the ethnic races by arranging
a conference at Panglong which
the Karen refused to participate
in but instead sent an observer
party.The 1947 constitution
written by the AFPFL made no
mention of the creation of a
Karen state but it did contain a
clause that after the elections,
should there be no agreement
with the Karens, then a state
could be created, however unlike
others, the Shan and the
Karenni, no secession would
ever be allowed. All Karen
organisations including the
KNA, KCO and KYO, were called
to a conference and agreed to
merge into one body, the Karen
National Union (KNU). The
conference ended with all
delegates calling for a separate
Karen State, Karen units in the
army, and an increase in
representation in the consti-
tuent assembly. Whilst debate
continued the KYO, which had
been formed in October 1945 as
the youth wing of the KCO,
began to emerge as pro-AFPFL
supporter. The KYO and KNU
were in disagreement over what
part of the country would form
Karen state, to such a degree
that the Anglo-Karen comm-
ander of the Burma army,
Smith-Dun was prompted to say
that, ‘the KNU was asking for the
best of Burma, while the KYO
was asking for the worst.’
Saw Ba U Gyi, one of the original
founders of the KNU, wrote to
the Burmese premier U Nu
outlining once again the Karens
request for separate state and
organised on the 11th February
a mass demonstration throug-
hout the country requesting that
four main demands be met:-
-Give the Karen State at once.
-For the Burmese one kyat
and the Karens one kyat
-We do not want communal
strife
-We do not want civil war
By the mid sixties the eastern
division under the control of Bo
Mya began to separate itself
from the socialist struggle of the
KNUP and had taken control of
the Dawna range exerting
control over much of the Thai
border.
Throughout the eighties the
Karen continued to rule
Kawthoolei from its
headquarters at Manerplaw
which also housed the head
office of the National Democratic
Front In October 1984 the NDF
held its third plenary presidium
and in a change of separatist
policy it called not for each
nationality to have its own state,
rather that a Federal Union,
comprising all nationalities
including Burman, be establ-
ished.
The Process
In the effort to resolve the
problems by peaceful means, the
KNU leaders met with regimes
in power, for peace talk, on five
separate occasions. The first
negotiation, reportedly brokered
by the diplomatic missions of
India and Pakistan, took place
in Rangoon. After a truce was
declared, the Karen delegation
led by Saw Ba U Gyi, President
of the KNU, departed to Rangoon
for peace talk with the Burmese
government. In the talk, the
government demanded surre-
nder of arms from the Karen,
with the threat of detention of
10
delegation leader, Saw Ba U Gyi.
There was no agenda on the
government side to discuss the
grievances and rights of the
Karen people. While the Karen
leaders were in Rangoon, the
government troops violated the
truce by sending in reinforc-
ement to the front line against
the Karen. To escape from the
trap, Saw Ba U Gyi pretended
to agree to the idea of laying
down arms and insisted on
going back and persuading the
Karen forces. He had to leave a
Karen leader, as a hostage. No
Karen leaders agreed to lay down
arms and hostilities were
resumed. After this frustrating
and disappointing experience,
Saw Ba U Gyi laid down the
following 4-point guideline,
which has come to be known as
the Principles of Saw Ba U Gyi.
In January 2004, the
Government and the KNU, yet
again, agreed to end hostilities.
The KNU had made a verbal
ceasefire agreement with the
military government in early
December 2003 This peace effort
is the first time the KNU’s
military leader, General Bo Mya,
has headed the KNU delegation.
Peace talks from 15 January
made good progress, and a
provisional ceasefire was agreed
on 22 January between Khin
Nyunt, the number 2 man in the
Burma military government and
Bo Mya – but no formal agree-
ment signed. Bo Mya’s visit to
Rangoon was extremely signi-
ficant:The talks can be explained
in terms of the pressure on both
sides. Rangoon was keen to
reach agreement because the
KNU is the most significant
ethnic rebel group still engaged
in armed struggle. A peace deal
with the KNU and other ethnic
rebel groups is crucial to the
current Khin Nyunt’s plans for
national reconciliation – the
regime’s way of describing its
proposed political reform. He
wanted to have the at KNU at the
National Convention for the sake
of the road map. For the KNU –
having lost territory and income
over last decade, harassed by
the Democratic Buddhist Karen
Army (a former breakaway from
the KNU that signed a ceasefire
with the junta in 1994) and
finding it harder to acquire arms
– there were many reasons to
engage. Officially the Thai
Government says it is not official
policy to harass the KNU or
Karen refugees, but privately
local Thai authorities have told
KNU leaders that they had no
option but to negotiate a
ceasefire agreement. Further, Bo
Mya was in very bad heath and
was reportedly keen to see some
kind of solution to the Karen’s
battle for self-determination and
autonomy.
Again the talk ended without
any agreements. The fight
certainly is continuing and so as
ethnic cleansing Thousands of
ethnic Karen villagers have been
forced to flee across the border
into Thailand over the past few
weeks as the Myanmar army
steps up its assault on the Karen
rebels. Myanmar’s army and a
pro-government militia called
the Democratic Karen Buddhist
Army (DKBA) attacked the
border region near Thailand in
a final push to destroy the Karen
National Union (KNU), which
has been fighting for
independence for the last 60
years.
Fierce fighting has forced more
than 4,000 ethnic Karen
villagers to flee across the border
for their safety since the
beginning of June, 2005. “If the
fighting continues, at least
8,000 more villagers will have to
escape across the border or die
at the hands of the soldiers,”
KNU general secretary Zipporah
Sein said. Due to the ongoing
strife in Burma, it is estimated
that there are more than
300,000 displaced Karens who
have fled into the jungle and are
living in huts and makeshift
camps in the border area. Those
who have escaped into Thailand
have not been given official
refugee status; consequently
they receive no direct assistance
from the United Nations or from
the Red Cross. Alongside impov-
erished Karen organiz -ations
the Karen Emergency Relief
Fund maintains an office in
MaeSot, Thailand.
With the chances of refugees
being able one to return to
Burma becoming ever dimmer
and their numbers growing even
higher, one thai government
agreed in 2005 to an
international resettlement
program. Nearly 50,000 refugees
have so far been resettled in 11
western countries, most of them
making new lives in the U.S.
***************
References:
www.Karenvoices.net
www.burmalibrary.org
www.karenculturemuseum.org
11
In the millennium ofThe new memorable night
On earthI left my dear childJust besides the bamboos.
I love him so much, SayamaBut, for this son I couldn’tCouldn’t even cry outLoud to express my sorrow.
In that nightThe winter was more realThe unkind wind blewFrom the top of the streamWith his blue lipsMy son whispered:Daddy, I do not want to eat Kywe UWhen will we go home?I want to sit by a fireTo warm up my feet and fingers’tipsYou must give me lots of rice,DaddyWhen we get to the refugee camp.”
These were he spokeNot unconsciouslyOnly I knowOh … my dear son.
In that nightFor their livesIf I only couldMake a fire to warm him.
A Night to Remember
By Khaing Mar Kyaw Zaw
Exploitative abuse and villager responses in Thaton District(Nov 25th, 2009)SPDC control of Thaton District is fully consolidated, aided by the DKBA anda variety of other civilian and parastatal organisations. These forces are respon-sible for perpetrating a variety of exploitative abuses, which include a litany ofdemands for 'taxation' and provision of resources, as well as forced labour ondevelopment projects and forced recruitment into the DKBA. Villagers alsoreport ongoing abuses related to SPDC and DKBA 'counter insurgency' efforts,including the placement of unmarked landmines in civilian areas, conscriptionof people as porters and 'human minesweepers' and harassment and violent abuseof alleged KNLA supporters. This report includes information on abuses duringthe period of April to October 2009.Living conditions for displaced villagers and ongoing abuses in TenasserimDivision(Oct 29th, 2009)Villagers in SPDC-controlled parts of Tenasserim Division, including 60 vil-lages forced to move to government relocation sites in 1996, continue to faceabuses including movement restrictions, forced labour and arbitrary demandsfor 'taxation' and other payments. In response, thousands of villagers continueto evade SPDC control in upland jungle areas. These villagers report that theyare pursued by Burma Army patrols, which shoot them on sight, plant landminesand destroy paddy fields and food stores. This report primarily draws on infor-mation from September 2009. Because KHRG has not released a field report onthe region since 2001, this report also includes quotes and photographs fromresearch dating back to 2007.Starving them out: Food shortages and exploitative abuse in PapunDistrict(Oct 15th, 2009)As the 2009 rainy season draws to a close, displaced villagers in northern PapunDistrict's Lu Thaw Township face little prospect of harvesting sufficient paddyto support them over the next year. After four straight agricultural cycles dis-rupted by Burma Army patrols, which continue to shoot villagers on sight andenforce travel and trade restrictions designed to limit sale of food to villagers inhiding, villagers in northern Papun face food shortages more severe than any-thing to hit the area since the Burma Army began attempts to consolidate con-trol of the region in 1997. Consequently, the international donor communityshould immediately provide emergency support to aid groups that can accessIDP areas in Lu Thaw Township. In southern Papun, meanwhile, villagers re-port ongoing abuses and increased activity by the SPDC and DKBA in Dwe Lohand Bu Thoh townships. In these areas, villagers report abuses including move-ment restrictions, forced labour, looting, increased placement of landmines incivilian areas, summary executions and other forms of arbitrary abuse. Thisreport documents abuses occurring between May and October 2009.
Karen Human Right Group(KHRG)Field Reports
Some Karen Refugees on the run
12
(DVB)–Rising rice prices and thethreat of an influx of Burmese refu-gees into Thailand over the com-ing year could place a heavy strainon refugee camps along the border,the head of a refugee aid groupwarned.
The comments came in thewake of a visit by European Unionofficials to the Mae La camp inThailand’s western Tak province,which is home to some 40,000 Bur-mese refugees.
EU funding accounts foraround 65 percent of the total$US60 million in international aid
Thai refugee camps face tough year ahead
that goes to the camps each year.Jack Dunford, head of the
Bangkok-based Thailand BurmaBorder Consortium (TBBC), whichprovides food, shelter and ameni-ties to the camps, said that enoughfunding had been secured for thisyear, but warned of an uncertain 12months ahead.
“There are three variablesthat we have no control over: ex-change rates, the price of rice andthe number of refugees, so when welook at annual funding we alwayshave to do some guess work,” hesaid.
“All three tend to be goingagainst us, and with the globalfunding squeeze, we are expectingthat next year is going to be diffi-cult.”
While the price of rice hasdropped since the peak of the glo-bal food crisis last year, he warnedthat widespread flooding andstorms in India and the Philippines,two of the region’s main rice pro-ducers, may push prices back up.
He also warned of a pos-sible exodus of Burmese fleeingfighting in the run-up to electionsin Burma next year, many of whomwould cross into Thailand.
“Over the next 12 monthswe’re facing very uncertain timesin Burma, in particular huge uncer-tainties about what’s going to hap-pen in the border areas,” Dunfordsaid. “We’ll obviously see how itplays out, but we could have a ma-jor emergency.”
Some of the camps alongthe Thai-Burma border have beenin place for 25 years, and the EUhas sent a senior-level delegationeach year to assess conditions in-side the camps. In total, around130,000 Burmese refugees live inthe nine camps, the majority fromKaren state.
By Nem Davies, MizzimaThe Mae Tao clinic, which offersfree medical service in Mae Sot onthe Thai-Burma border to all Bur-mese people, needs emergencyfunding, Dr. Cynthia Maung whoruns it said.An increasing number of migrantsand patients crossing into Thailandhave led to the cash crunch for thefree clinic. It has hit health care
Mae Tao clinic needs emergency funds
and education services."The number of people who availof our services is increasing. Simi-larly in education and child caresectors, we need more funds as thenumber of child patients is alsomounting. All organizations pro-viding education and health careservices are facing difficulties dueto the fund shortage," Dr. CynthiaMaung told Mizzima.
"We need more donors. Thoughthey are increasing in number butthe amount is declining in the back-drop of the global economic down-turn as they are cutting their aidfund," she added.They are facing shortage of fund fortheir services as there is an annualgrowth in the number of patientscoming to them.The international organizations
Maela Refugee camp
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The above is the Karen(Kayin) bamboo dance.It is quite similar to Chin bamboo dance. Dancersdance quick steps among the striking bamboos.This need high level of practice, skills and timing.
Karen Bamboo Dance
Karen Bamboo Dance
have not yet stopped regular fund-ing but the term of some projectshave been completed so they hadto adjust their expenditure in theiroverall services.International donors give funds toMae Tao clinic once in every fiveor seven years."If this situation remains un-changed, we will face severe short-age of funds in our health care ser-vices as the number of patients andmigrant workers are increasing,"Dr. Cynthia Maung said.International humanitarian agen-cies from over 10 countries includ-ing United States, Norway, Swe-den, Netherlands, Canada, Britainand Italy are currently providingassistance to the clinic.Following the Clinic was set up in1989 in the Thai-Burmese bordertown of Mae Sot, 50 per cent ofBurmese migrant workers in Thai-land and 50 per cent of Burmese,who crossed over to Thailand, arebeing treated in the clinic.Currently, the clinic has a 200-bed
hospital and employs about 1,700staff members in its health care andeducation services.
Moreover there are over 1,000 dailypatients in the Out-patient Depart-ment (OPD) ward of the clinic.Over the last two years, Interna-tional donor organizations, whichare funding Burmese organizationsin exile, have channelled more andmore of their funds to domestic or-ganizations, leaving exiled Bur-mese organizations to face a fundcrunch in their activities as fund-ing is either being cut or not beingincreased.
“We don't object to their fundingbeing provided in [inside] Burma.It will be useful and effective ifthese funds go to the needy people.This way, the number of peoplecoming to border clinics will de-crease,” Dr. Cynthia Maung said.An official of an international aidorganization, which provides fundsto Burmese organizations in exile,said that it will be a mistake if do-nors cut or reduce funds to thesehealth care service organizationssuch as Mae Tao clinic.Dr. CynthiaMaung was nominated for the 2008Nobel Peace prize and awarded theRamon Magsaysay prize in 2002 bythe Philippines government. Shewas also selected as one of theAsian heroes by Times magazinein 2003. She has been awarded atotal of 13 international prizes sofar for her noble humanitarianwork. Former US first lady LauraBush paid a visit to her and herclinic in August 2008 during hervisit to Thailand.
Dr. Cynthia Maung
One wrong move and your foot will be struck bythe bamboo poles.
In Karen state and among Karen people,Karenbamboo dance is played whenever there is aceremony: Christmas, KarenNew Year, Churchfunctions, Pagoda festivals. The Karen bamboodance is also quite well known and popularamong other races in Myanmar, while Chin danceis relatively unknown in Myanmar. (The first timeI saw Chin bamboo dance was while I was inHakha during Chin National Day in 2007.
Another well known Karen dance is Karen DoneYaine, a group dancing by Karen people. It is sowell known that when I was in HIgh School, girlsfrom our school form a done yaine dance groupto perform in school functions.
14
The month of August marks atime of year when the bonds oftradition that bind the Karenpeople are tied in a symbolic butalso quite literal way. In Karenfamilies and communitiesaround the world white threadsare tied around wrists in aceremony known as Lah KuKee Su.Lah Ku means August and Kee
Su describes the act of bindingthe wrist. Traditionally thefestival takes place at thetime of the August fullmoon (August 30 inBurma this year) but thetiming is flexible in someparts of the world—theKaren community ofVancouver held theirfestivities at the beginningof August.The festival has no religioussignificance. Much of it isrooted in ancestral beliefs inspirits—one Kareninterpretation of wrist-tying,for instance, declares thatbinding a white threadaround the wrist of a sickperson will cure or alleviatethe malady by attractingback to the body a spiritwhose absence caused theproblem in the first place. The chief purposes of thefestival, however, are toreinforce Karen identity andcontribute to the continuation ofKaren culture. Saw Nay Kaw, ayoung Karen Christian living inthe Thai town of Kanchanaburi,
home to many Karen, summedit up: “It’ s good for Karenculture for Karen people tocome together and celebrateonce a year like this.” Every aspect of the festival isheavy with symbolism. Thethread, for instance, has to bewhite because that’s the color ofgood will. The five different foods eatenat the festival are also carefullychosen for their symbolicsignificance.
Two kinds of rice are prepared:balls of rice, signifying Karenunity, and sticky rice,symbolizing Karen sincerityand faithfulness. Bananas arebrought to the ceremony tosignify honesty, friendliness andmutual help. Both the sticky riceand bananas also signify theunification of the Pwo andSgaw sub-groups of the Karen.Paw Gi (a kind of flower) andsugar cane join the festive menuto symbolize the regenerativevitality of the Karen people. Water is drunk as a recognitionof its life-giving properties.
Karen elders get things goingby singing a traditional song andthen explaining to thecommunity the ancient meaningof the ceremonies that follow.These ceremonies begin withprayers imploring the spirits—or K’la —to return fromwherever they are roaming andto stay in the family andcommunity circle. The wrist-tying ceremony
follows. The Karenelders wind whitethread three timesaround the wrists ofseven young unmarriedcouples, knotting thebracelets and breakingthe thread with theirfingers. Then theceremony is repeatedwith the rest of the
community.
Traditional Karen costume isworn during the festival—longyi for the men and sarongsfor the women. Traditionally,married women wore a redsarong and black shirt, andsingle women donned the Karenlong white dress.Times are changing, though.Now, women can wear anycolor as long as they keep to thedistinctive long dress. But thisconcession is probably the onlychange the Lah Ku Kee Sufestival will see for some timeto come.
Calling Home the Spirits
By Shah Paung,Irrawaddy
15
Aim
- To celebrate a unite Karen New Yearfor all Karens in Unison.
Objectives
- To express among people andworking together regardless ofdialects or religion belief.
- To maintain, sustain and developKaren Culture and Traditional.
- To raise awareness and advocate forKaren community in Australia, aswell as to present the ongoinghumanitarian crisis faced by KarenPeople living in Burma andalongThai-Burma border to ourAustralian friends and to widerAustralian society.
- To extend help and assistance toKaren refugees, IDPS.
Karen New Year Celebration Committee, Sydney
Conveners( Saw Rostan Po )( Saw Maurice myaing)( Mahn Chit Oo )( Nant Sun Shine )( Nant Au Kyi )( Dr. Joe Pereira )
Coordinators-( Saw Lwin Oo )( Saw Lay Lay Chit Oo )( Saw Aung Kyat Htut )-( Saw Eh Soe Kyat Oo )
Treasure —— Mahn Chit SeinJoint Treasure—— Naw ChoAuditor——— Mahn OrlandoJoint—— Nan Paw Mu SharDecoration —— Mahn Kyaw San, Ma MyintNi, Saw Eh Shee LwinWelcoming—— Saw Daniel Zu, Saw Bready,Naw Eh K’Lu WinCooking—— Nan Ma Moe, Naw Har May,Nan Than Than HtayEntertainment—— Saw Peter Htoo, SawAung Aung,Documentation—— Saw William Shin,Saw Kyaw KwehCulture —— Saw Ta Kaw Wah, Saw ThanAung, Saw Eh Shu, Grace Lwin OoInformation and Exhibition—— Saw BaNyar, Saw Eh Kaw, Htee Saw Kyi Din
2749 Karen New Year Celebration Committee, Sydney
16