Karen New Year Journal(last Final) 5e592m

Karen New Year Celebration Committee, Sydney

History of the Karen National New Year Karen National New Year celebrations are held during the pleasant month of Pyathoe (on the Roman calendar ? Dec/Jan). People mark the occasion by sounding the Karen horn and drum, to maintain the tradition of the Karen New Year, until the end

nized, and declared an official holiday. That date was also formally acknowledged as being the year 2677 on the Karen calendar.In fact, the movement for a distinct Karen national day was begun by Saya San Baw, in 1935. As member of parliament for Tharyawati

unsuccessfully. The Karen National Association (KNA) realized that they instead had to work towards the Karen New Year day. On 2 August 1937, Saw Johnson Deepominn, member of parliament for Taungoo District, presented the case to the lower house. However

of time. Officially, the Karen New Year began in 1938. Celebrations were first held in 1939 .It was on the first of January 1938, (which that year corresponded with the first of Pyathoe), that Karen national leaders demands to the British istration for the Karen New Year were finally recog-

District, he argued that a Karen National Day should be introduced. However, the British colonial istration suggested that a Karen New Year day would be a better alternative. In 1937, the Karen parliamentary representatives again presented the case for a Karen National Da, again

the Karen representatives in the chamber were split in their across the two sides of parliament ? U Pu’s governing faction, and the opposition lead by Dr. Ba Maw. As the demands were coming from a member Karen ministers. The demand was retabled, and ed.

Karen New Year Celebration Committee, Sydney(December, 2009)

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EDITORIAL

This is a significant year for the Sydney Karen community- celebrating Karen New Year in a single venue, under one banner and showing oneness as a community affair. It is great. As an editorial team we understand the value of unity and its sensitivities surround. We have taken great efforts in fulfilling the wishes of the community and presented a new version of Karen New Year Journal to the community. Sincerely The editorial team Pahtee Benya Tee Saw Gyi Saw Eh Kaw Karen New Year Celebration Committee, Sydney, Australia.

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Ba Maw’s cabinet ratified the proposal, and presented it to the Governor General for approval. In late 1937, the Governor General signed the legislation. The first day of Pyathoe, 1938 (Karen Year 2677), was declared the first Karen New Year. Initially, the Karen leaders had been divided over the best day for the New Year to fall on.Three altern- atives were put forward. 1. The same day as the Roman calendar. 2.The date when (the missionary) Dr. Judson first arrived in Burma. 3.The first day of Pyathoe. The options were discussed and the matter resolved. The first alternative has global significance, and it was felt that a distinctive date for the Karen New Year would be more appropriate. As for the second alterna- tive,Dr. Judson was a Christian missionary, so this date would be suitable for Christians, but not Karens of other religions. The first day of Pyathoe was best. Additionally the month of Pyathoe is special for

Karen cultural solidarity, given the following reasons: 1. Although Karens have different names for Pyathoe (Sgaw Karens call it Th’lay and for Pwo Karens, Htike Kauk Po) the first of each of these months falls on exactly the same date. 2.The rice harvest is completed in the period leading to Pyathoe, a n d according to Karen traditional religious practice, t h e r e must be acelebra- tion for consump-tion of the new crop. It is also the time to divine the date for commencement of the next crop. Typically, this is also when new houses are constructed, and the completion of these must be celebrated. 3.The first of Pyathoe is not a distinct festival for any religious group, so it is a day that is acceptable to all Karen people. For these reasons, on the first of Pyathoe annually, we celebrate the Karen New Year. Reference by Mahn Thint Naung (Kawkareik District 1976)

Karen elder’s forwards 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 and attending to make this auspicious day a successful event. The Karen New Year day is one of the most significant occasions to all Karen people regardless of their religious affiliations or geographical differences. It falls on the same day in Karen Calendar. I am here to say that our Karen leaders had fought so hard to leave 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 our home 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 be plenty 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. As a 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 are indigenous ethnics to a land called Burma and belong to the most numbers in refugee population recognized by the United Nations. We fought so hard for the struggle for justice to be known in the international arenas. We though did not get very far as we were so far away in the jungle. Now as we are here in better places, please make great efforts to continue our struggle for those of our brothers and sisters who are left behind in the jungle. With best wishes ROSTAN PO The First Karen New Year Message, 1938 Today we recall our heritage, our ancient poet, prophets and our tradition of Ywa(God). We believe that every individual, every home, every village has a place in the new advance. Progressive in thinking, constructive in planning, and courageous in living, we can share responsibility with other 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 two million 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 certain distinctive 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 characteristics in free association with other people. We are at a crisis. For us the choice lies between seeking protection through isolation, or adventure through active participation in the live of Burma. United ourselves, we could help to make Burma a nation. We recognize that as leaders we must be fully committee 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 our people at the service of this whole country? Signed San C.Po, Shwe Ba , Hla Pe, Sydney Loo Nee, Saw petha

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OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTER KAREN 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.

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Karen National Flag and Amthem

Our flag represents dignity for all Karen people. Red is for bravery, white is for purity and blue is for loyalty. In the corner there is a “Klo,” a sacred Karen drum. We use this drum on special occasions like weddings, New Year’s Day and funerals. The Klo is made of metal, tin or gold and only the community leaders strike it. Oh, our dear people People who are the best You are deeply loved You love the righteousness I ire your hospitality Every single detail of yours I really do ire...

Ya Pwar Kalu Yè Hér Pwar Lé A Gay Ker Tur Ya Eh Doh Nar Na Eh Ta Taw Ta Loe Ta Mwee Na Eh Tu Loe Na Tar Aÿþ Gay Koe Myoe Ya Eh Doh Ma

12 Of the Karen National Member of Parliament(1938) Serial No

Name

Constituency

Religion

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Saw Johnson D.Po Min Saw Mya Thein Mahn Ba Khaing Saw Sydney Loo Nee Saw Pe Tha Mahn Kan Aye Mahn Tun Khin Mahn Shwe Nyunt Saw Tha Dwe U Hla Lpe U Poe Mying Saw Poe Chit

Taunggo Henzada Bassein North. Bassein South Myauangmya West Myauangmya East Ma U Bin North Ma U Bin South Thaton North Thaton South Kyaik nKame East Kyaik Kame West

Byamasoh Buddhist Christian Christian Christian Buddhist Buddhist Buddhist Buddhist Buddhist Buddhist Christian

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Who are the Karen? Nomadic migratory period (BC 2017-1125) The Independent Karen Historical Research Association (IKHRA), whilst giving a chronology 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 ing 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

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noises calling their names, sounds of music and melodies, sound of animals and humans ing 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 Dynasties were established by lords and kings of the region. Most of the contending states centered

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 increased, 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 ed 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 comprised 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 charismatic 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 delegation to the hearing to ask for separation from Burma. Similarly 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

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meeting, but in contrast to the YMBA, had reported, ever fearful of Burman domination, that Burma was not ready for selfdetermination, and instead should remain under the British Government, an opinion which found no 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 istration 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 selfgovernance. The first day of the month of ‘Pyatho’ as Karen New Years Day was approved and recognized by the British government December 21 st , 1938 with the first celebr- ations commencing in 1939. Karen 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

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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 prewar 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 collaborators and bearing in mind that the Karen troops cracked down a number of Burmese people’s

anti-colonial rebellions, including 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 ed 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 antiJapanese 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 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

Rangoon. Here the Japanese authorities ed 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 Government’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 constituent 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 er. 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 commander 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 throughout 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 established. 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 surrender of arms from the Karen, with the threat of detention of

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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 reinforcement 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 agreement signed. Bo Mya’s visit to Rangoon was extremely significant:The talks can be explained in of the pressure on both sides. Rangoon was keen to reach agreement because the KNU is the most significant

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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 impoverished 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

Karen Human Right Group(KHRG) Field Reports Exploitative abuse and villager responses in Thaton District(Nov 25th, 2009) SPDC control of Thaton District is fully consolidated, aided by the DKBA and a variety of other civilian and parastatal organisations. These forces are responsible for perpetrating a variety of exploitative abuses, which include a litany of demands for 'taxation' and provision of resources, as well as forced labour on development projects and forced recruitment into the DKBA. Villagers also report ongoing abuses related to SPDC and DKBA 'counter insurgency' efforts, including the placement of unmarked landmines in civilian areas, conscription of people as porters and 'human minesweepers' and harassment and violent abuse of alleged KNLA ers. This report includes information on abuses during the period of April to October 2009. Living conditions for displaced villagers and ongoing abuses in Tenasserim Division(Oct 29th, 2009) Villagers in SPDC-controlled parts of Tenasserim Division, including 60 villages forced to move to government relocation sites in 1996, continue to face abuses including movement restrictions, forced labour and arbitrary demands for 'taxation' and other payments. In response, thousands of villagers continue to evade SPDC control in upland jungle areas. These villagers report that they are pursued by Burma Army patrols, which shoot them on sight, plant landmines and destroy paddy fields and food stores. This report primarily draws on information from September 2009. Because KHRG has not released a field report on the region since 2001, this report also includes quotes and photographs from research dating back to 2007. Starving them out: Food shortages and exploitative abuse in Papun District(Oct 15th, 2009) As the 2009 rainy season draws to a close, displaced villagers in northern Papun District's Lu Thaw Township face little prospect of harvesting sufficient paddy to them over the next year. After four straight agricultural cycles disrupted by Burma Army patrols, which continue to shoot villagers on sight and enforce travel and trade restrictions designed to limit sale of food to villagers in hiding, villagers in northern Papun face food shortages more severe than anything to hit the area since the Burma Army began attempts to consolidate control of the region in 1997. Consequently, the international donor community should immediately provide emergency to aid groups that can access IDP areas in Lu Thaw Township. In southern Papun, meanwhile, villagers report ongoing abuses and increased activity by the SPDC and DKBA in Dwe Loh and Bu Thoh townships. In these areas, villagers s including movement restrictions, forced labour, looting, increased placement of landmines in civilian areas, summary executions and other forms of arbitrary abuse. This report documents abuses occurring between May and October 2009.

A Night to

In the millennium of The new memorable night On earth I left my dear child Just besides the bamboos. I love him so much, Sayama But, for this son I couldn’t Couldn’t even cry out Loud to express my sorrow. In that night The winter was more real The unkind wind blew From the top of the stream With his blue lips My son whispered: Daddy, I do not want to eat Kywe U When will we go home? I want to sit by a fire To warm up my feet and fingers’ tips You must give me lots of rice, Daddy When we get to the refugee camp.” These were he spoke Not unconsciously Only I know Oh … my dear son.

In that night For their lives If I only could Make a fire to warm him. Some Karen Refugees on the run By Khaing Mar Kyaw Zaw

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Thai refugee camps face tough year ahead “All three tend to be going against us, and with the global funding squeeze, we are expecting that next year is going to be difficult.” While the price of rice has dropped since the peak of the global food crisis last year, he warned that widespread flooding and storms in India and the Philippines, two of the region’s main rice producers, may push prices back up. He also warned of a possible exodus of Burmese fleeing fighting in the run-up to elections Maela Refugee camp in Burma next year, many of whom would cross into Thailand. “Over the next 12 months (DVB)–Rising rice prices and the that goes to the camps each year. we’re facing very uncertain times threat of an influx of Burmese refuJack Dunford, head of the in Burma, in particular huge uncergees into Thailand over the com- Bangkok-based Thailand Burma tainties about what’s going to haping year could place a heavy strain Border Consortium (TBBC), which pen in the border areas,” Dunford on refugee camps along the border, provides food, shelter and ameni- said. “We’ll obviously see how it the head of a refugee aid group ties to the camps, said that enough plays out, but we could have a mawarned. funding had been secured for this jor emergency.” The comments came in the year, but warned of an uncertain 12 Some of the camps along wake of a visit by European Union months ahead. the Thai-Burma border have been officials to the Mae La camp in “There are three variables in place for 25 years, and the EU Thailand’s western Tak province, that we have no control over: ex- has sent a senior-level delegation which is home to some 40,000 Bur- change rates, the price of rice and each year to assess conditions inmese refugees. the number of refugees, so when we side the camps. In total, around EU funding s for look at annual funding we always 130,000 Burmese refugees live in around 65 percent of the total have to do some guess work,” he the nine camps, the majority from $US60 million in international aid said. Karen state.

Mae Tao clinic needs emergency funds By Nem Davies, Mizzima The Mae Tao clinic, which offers free medical service in Mae Sot on the Thai-Burma border to all Burmese people, needs emergency funding, Dr. Cynthia Maung who runs it said. An increasing number of migrants and patients crossing into Thailand have led to the cash crunch for the free clinic. It has hit health care

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and education services. "The number of people who avail of our services is increasing. Similarly in education and child care sectors, we need more funds as the number of child patients is also mounting. All organizations providing education and health care services are facing difficulties due to the fund shortage," Dr. Cynthia Maung told Mizzima.

"We need more donors. Though they are increasing in number but the amount is declining in the backdrop of the global economic downturn as they are cutting their aid fund," she added. They are facing shortage of fund for their services as there is an annual growth in the number of patients coming to them. The international organizations

have not yet stopped regular funding but the term of some projects have been completed so they had to adjust their expenditure in their overall services. International donors give funds to Mae Tao clinic once in every five or seven years. "If this situation remains unchanged, we will face severe shortage of funds in our health care services as the number of patients and migrant workers are increasing," Dr. Cynthia Maung said. International humanitarian agencies from over 10 countries including United States, Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Canada, Britain and Italy are currently providing assistance to the clinic. Following the Clinic was set up in 1989 in the Thai-Burmese border town of Mae Sot, 50 per cent of Burmese migrant workers in Thailand and 50 per cent of Burmese, who crossed over to Thailand, are being treated in the clinic. Currently, the clinic has a 200-bed

hospital and employs about 1,700 “We don't object to their funding staff in its health care and being provided in [inside] Burma. It will be useful and effective if education services. these funds go to the needy people. This way, the number of people coming to border clinics will decrease,” Dr. Cynthia Maung said. An official of an international aid organization, which provides funds to Burmese organizations in exile, said that it will be a mistake if donors cut or reduce funds to these health care service organizations such as Mae Tao clinic.Dr. Cynthia Dr. Cynthia Maung Maung was nominated for the 2008 Moreover there are over 1,000 daily Nobel Peace prize and awarded the patients in the Out-patient Depart- Ramon Magsaysay prize in 2002 by ment (OPD) ward of the clinic. the Philippines government. She Over the last two years, Interna- was also selected as one of the tional donor organizations, which Asian heroes by Times magazine are funding Burmese organizations in 2003. She has been awarded a in exile, have channelled more and total of 13 international prizes so more of their funds to domestic or- far for her noble humanitarian ganizations, leaving exiled Bur- work. Former US first lady Laura mese organizations to face a fund Bush paid a visit to her and her crunch in their activities as fund- clinic in August 2008 during her ing is either being cut or not being visit to Thailand. increased.

Karen Bamboo Dance One wrong move and your foot will be struck by the bamboo poles.

Karen Bamboo Dance

In Karen state and among Karen people,Karen bamboo dance is played whenever there is a ceremony: Christmas, KarenNew Year, Church functions, Pagoda festivals. The Karen bamboo dance is also quite well known and popular among other races in Myanmar, while Chin dance is relatively unknown in Myanmar. (The first time I saw Chin bamboo dance was while I was in Hakha during Chin National Day in 2007.

Another well known Karen dance is Karen Done The above is the Karen(Kayin) bamboo dance. Yaine, a group dancing by Karen people. It is so It is quite similar to Chin bamboo dance. Dancers well known that when I was in HIgh School, girls dance quick steps among the striking bamboos. from our school form a done yaine dance group This need high level of practice, skills and timing. to perform in school functions.

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Calling Home the Spirits By Shah Paung,Irrawaddy The month of August marks a time of year when the bonds of tradition that bind the Karen people are tied in a symbolic but also quite literal way. In Karen families and communities around the world white threads are tied around wrists in a ceremony known as Lah Ku Kee Su. Lah Ku means August and Kee Su describes the act of binding the wrist. Traditionally the festival takes place at the time of the August full moon (August 30 in Burma this year) but the timing is flexible in some parts of the world—the Karen community of Vancouver held their festivities at the beginning of August. The festival has no religious significance. Much of it is rooted in ancestral beliefs in spirits—one Karen interpretation of wrist-tying, for instance, declares that binding a white thread around the wrist of a sick person will cure or alleviate the malady by attracting back to the body a spirit whose absence caused the problem in the first place. The chief purposes of the festival, however, are to reinforce Karen identity and contribute to the continuation of Karen culture. Saw Nay Kaw, a young Karen Christian living in the Thai town of Kanchanaburi,

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home to many Karen, summed it up: “It’s good for Karen culture for Karen people to come together and celebrate once a year like this.” Every aspect of the festival is heavy with symbolism. The thread, for instance, has to be white because that’s the color of good will. The five different foods eaten at the festival are also carefully chosen for their symbolic significance.

Two kinds of rice are prepared: balls of rice, signifying Karen unity, and sticky rice, symbolizing Karen sincerity and faithfulness. Bananas are brought to the ceremony to signify honesty, friendliness and mutual help. Both the sticky rice and bananas also signify the unification of the Pwo and Sgaw sub-groups of the Karen. Paw Gi (a kind of flower) and sugar cane the festive menu to symbolize the regenerative vitality of the Karen people. Water is drunk as a recognition of its life-giving properties.

Karen elders get things going by singing a traditional song and then explaining to the community the ancient meaning of the ceremonies that follow. These ceremonies begin with prayers imploring the spirits— or K’la—to return from wherever they are roaming and to stay in the family and community circle. The wrist-tying ceremony follows. The Karen elders wind white thread three times around the wrists of seven young unmarried couples, knotting the bracelets and breaking the thread with their fingers. Then the ceremony is repeated with the rest of the community. Traditional Karen costume is worn during the festival— longyi for the men and sarongs for the women. Traditionally, married women wore a red sarong and black shirt, and single women donned the Karen long white dress. Times are changing, though. Now, women can wear any color as long as they keep to the distinctive long dress. But this concession is probably the only change the Lah Ku Kee Su festival will see for some time to come.

Karen New Year Celebration Committee, Sydney 2749 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 Sein t Treasure—— Naw Cho Auditor——— Mahn Orlando t—— Nan Paw Mu Shar Decoration —— Mahn Kyaw San, Ma Myint Ni, Saw Eh Shee Lwin Welcoming—— Saw Daniel Zu, Saw Bready, Naw Eh K’Lu Win Cooking—— Nan Ma Moe, Naw Har May, Nan Than Than Htay Entertainment—— Saw Peter Htoo, Saw Aung Aung, Documentation—— Saw William Shin, Saw Kyaw Kweh Culture —— Saw Ta Kaw Wah, Saw Than Aung, Saw Eh Shu, Grace Lwin Oo Information and Exhibition—— Saw Ba Nyar, Saw Eh Kaw, Htee Saw Kyi Din

Aim - To celebrate a unite Karen New Year for all Karens in Unison. Objectives -

To express among people and working together regardless of dialects or religion belief.

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To maintain, sustain and develop Karen Culture and Traditional.

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To raise awareness and advocate for Karen community in Australia, as well as to present the ongoing humanitarian crisis faced by Karen People living in Burma and alongThai-Burma border to our Australian friends and to wider Australian society.

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To extend help and assistance to Karen refugees, IDPS.

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