The Nation -Against all odds, Karen

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Subject: The Nation -Against all odds, Karen fight junta

The Nation - Aug 22, 1999.
Editorial & Opinion

Against all odds, Karen fight junta

VALEY KEE, Burma -- On the banks of a small river that separates Thailand's
Tak province from Burma's Karen State, a group of rebel troops chat among
themselves and exchange jokes as they wait for the arrival of their greying
yet burly leader Gen Bo Mya.

In a wooden shack, Karen women prepare food for troops returning from the
front line. Exhausted from the long walk, the soldiers of the Karen National
Union slowly unfasten their heavy loads, down their rucksacks and head for a
small creek to wash for the upcoming ceremony to commemorate their fallen
leaders and comrades. The KNU is the largest armed ethnic group that has
refused to surrender to Rangoon.

A few minutes later Bo Mya, the fourth highest leader of the KNU, makes his
way down a hill to greet his men. Attired in a pair of blue jeans and a
candy-pink T-shirt-like national costume, the beefy 72-year-old commander
takes a load off his feat to catch his breath.

He told reporters that he was in good shape and vowed to fight on for the
freedom of the Karen people.

''It's safe here,'' said a soft-spoken teenage rebel soldier. ''Our troops
have secured the perimeter. The closest Burmese base is six kilometres
away.''

The gathering on Aug 12 marked the 47th anniversary of KNU Martyr's Day.
Similar events took place at other KNU camps, most of which are situated
along the rugged Thai-Burmese border.

Despite numerous setbacks in the past five years, Bo Mya and his men said
they still had the will and the means to continue their struggle for
autonomy.

''A people living under the domination of another people can never escape
from persecution and exploitation,'' said Bo Mya.

''We, the patriots, must build up our courage and determination and continue
our struggle in order to free our people from oppression, tyranny, injustice
and domination,'' he added.

But the war for a free and autonomous homeland has not come without a price.
Some 100,000 Burmese refugees, mostly Karen, have fled to Thailand in the
past years to escape what they say is an ethnic-cleansing campaign by the
Burmese junta.

Since the armed struggle started just over 50 years ago, the group has
carried on against the odds. Until just four years ago the KNU could stake a
claim to a large area in Karen State. But a breakaway faction, the
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, together with Burmese government soldiers,
ousted the KNU from its long-time headquarters at Manerplaw, forcing the
group to turn to guerrilla warfare.

BY DON PATHAN

The Nation