OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERSKAREN NATIONAL UNIONKAWTHOOLEI
Address of KNU President Tamlabaw on 60
th
Anniversary of Karen Revolution
Dear Karen nationals and KNLA officers and men,
•
On this day of January 31, 2009, which is the 60
th
anniversary of the Karenpeople’s war of resistance, I would like to wish all of you to be full of health andcheers. First, I would like to say in honor of you - the KNLA officers, NCOs, therankers and all the Karen people - that I am proud of your faithful participationin the grand struggle of the revolution. Further, I would like to say that I amproud of and place on record the sacrifices of lives, blood and limbs you havemade.
•
Though the Karen people had lived, from time immemorial, in peace andfreedom with the other indigenous nationalities in Burma, they have lost theirfreedom and rights under the oppression of the chauvinists. For the Karenpeople to regain their basic rights, the Karen patriotic leaders led ademonstration of the Karen people in towns and cities all over the country, onFebruary 11, 1948. The demonstrators held placards bearing 4 demands, whichwere - (1) Give Karen country at once; (2) Show at once equality between theKaren and the Burman; (3) We do not want civil war; (4) We do not want racialstrife. The AFPFL Party in power not only ignored totally the demands of theKaren people but started military attacks against the Karen civilians and KNUheadquarters, in an attempt to wipe out totally the Karen people’s movementby force, and thus, the Karen people had to take up arms in self-defense andstart armed resistance.
•
Though the revolution has been in existence for 60 years, we still have notreached our goal. Since the Karen question is a political one, the farsightedKaren leaders have held dialogue with successive regimes in power on severaloccasions, but the other side simply insisted on the Karen to capitulate andenter the legal fold. For that reason, there has been no peace andreconciliation. On the other hand, as the regimes in power continue to destroythe Karen people’s hearths and homes and their lands in addition tocommitting inhuman acts including the crimes of rape of women, we still haveto continue our struggle in the battle field. We must continue our resistancewar so long as there is armed conflict, so long as there is no negotiation andpolitical settlement, in practice and in agreement with aspirations of the Karenpeople.
•
We, the Karen people and members of the KNU, have seen firsthand theheinous attacks by the enemy to destroy the Karen revolution in the past 60years. The Karen revolution can proudly stand up to this day in spite of suchattacks because of the Karen people’s invincible courage, correct patriotic spiritand unshakable belief in the 4 principles of Saw Ba U Gyi.
•
Holding a rigged referendum in 2008 to deceitfully obtain approval vote for itsfraudulent State Constitution, harassing the international donors who came tohelp victims of Cyclone Nargis and fervently preparing to hold a generalelection in 2010, are indications that the SPDC military regime is attempting to
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