ICC NOTE: The Karen people in eastern Myanmar (Burma) have been under extreme religious and ethnic persecution for decades. Since Burma’s independence from the British Empire in the late 1940’s ethnic Christian Karen (Kayin) have been fighting against the government for autonomy and equality under the eyes of the government. With the recent elections the Karen people believe their struggle for autonomy could once again have life. According to figures there are an estimated one million living in Thailand which borders Burma, as many were forced to flee from persecution. Many others have found their way to the United States as refugees, rebuilding their lives and culture while continuing to proclaim Christ and His mercy. 

2/19/2016 Karen State, Burma (Irrawaddy) – Unity among the Karen people was the theme in nearly all of the ethnic leaders’ speeches on the recent occasion of Karen Revolution Day. It was estimated that over 10,000 Karen people from Burma, Thailand and the rest of the world gathered to celebrate the event.

An interesting possibility is that this unity could extend beyond borders: the Karen political struggle is receiving growing support from a new and major force: Karen communities from Thailand, also known as the Thai-Karen.

There are an estimated one million Karen living throughout Thailand, mostly concentrated in the country’s north. Some who live on the Thai-Burma border fled Burma due to persecution and violence perpetrated by the Burma Army.

The Karen National Union (KNU) formed to advocate for Karen communities. It is among Southeast Asia’s oldest ethnic armed groups, fighting for autonomy and self-determination for Karen State for over six decades, since 1949—one year after Burma gained independence from the British.

On Karen Revolution Day, commemorated on January 31, Karen from northern Thailand—including Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son and Tak provinces—attended the event en masse, urging all Karen people to support the KNU by whatever means possible.

At a concert, a Thai-Karen singer from Chiang Mai asked, “Do you want a Karen nation?”

The crowded responded: yes.

The singer called for unity among the Karen people of the region in order to better support the Karen cause. He asked the crowd to offer financial, technical and educational support to the KNU.

Addressing the crowd, Pastor Lwe Paw, a Thai-Karen from Chiang Mai District, also made an emotional plea.

“I need to say sorry to my Karen people who have been fighting for the Karen national cause for 67 years. I didn’t know what was happening with the Karen struggle until I followed the news and posts on Line and Facebook,” he said.

After realizing the extent of the ongoing human rights abuses in Karen State, Lwe Paw said he could not stand to be removed from the struggle any longer, and began providing assistance to the KNU.

“Even dogs help each other if they are attacked. So how can we ignore when our fellow Karen are being attacked? It is a matter based on blood,” he explained.

“Our enemy can’t kill all of us. If Karen people in Kawthoolei [the Karen-language name for their homeland] get killed, Karen people in Thailand will begin to resist. If Karen people in Thailand get killed, Karen people in Burma will start to fight. If Karen in Burma get killed, the rest of the Karen people from 47 nations will return to fight,” Lwe Paw said, referring to a global diaspora.

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