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81-797: The Karen Human Rights Group (KHRG) is a grassroots Karen -led human rights organisation , established in Karen State during 1992 and it is now operating across rural southeast Burma/Myanmar . With over twenty years of experience. KHRG is recognised internationally as an authority on major issues such as internal displacement , forced labour , landmines, conflict and land confiscation in southeast Burma/Myanmar. KHRG works directly with "rural villagers who are suffering abuses such as forced labor, systematic destruction of villagers and crops, forced relocations, extortion, looting, arbitrary detention, torture, sexual assault and summary executions ." Most of these abuses were committed by soldiers and officials of

162-437: A subject–object–verb order. This anomaly is likely due to the influence of neighbouring Mon and Tai languages . The majority of Karen are Theravada Buddhists who also practice animism , while approximately 15–30 percent are Christian . Lowland Pwo-speaking Karens tend to be more orthodox Buddhists, whereas highland Sgaw-speaking Karens tend to be heterodox Buddhists who profess strong animist beliefs. Karen animism

243-1032: A documentary on land confiscation in rural southeast Burma/Myanmar entitled 'With only our voices, what can we do?' Scholar Kevin Malseed in Where There Is No Movement: Local Resistance and the Potential for Solidarity argues that even though "in Burma, any attempt to form independent agrarian movements is violently suppressed, rural Karen villagers have developed and practice complex forms of resistance involving inter-community action and solidarity across wide regions." These movements have been successful in "weakening state control over land and livelihoods largely because their lack of formal organization makes them difficult to target". Ingrid Brees in Refugees and transnationalism on

324-688: A long time to cook shellfish at the river of flowing sand, until the Chinese taught the Karens to open the shells so as to acquire the meat. It is estimated by linguists Luce and Lehman that the Tibeto-Burman peoples such as the Karen migrated into present-day Myanmar between 300 and 800 CE. Karen refers to a heterogeneous lot of ethnic groups that do not share a common language, culture, religion, or material characteristics. A pan-Karen ethnic identity

405-741: A new KNU headquarters in Mu Aye Pu , on the Burmese – Thai border. In 2004, the BBC , citing aid agencies , estimates that up to 200,000 Karen have been driven from their homes during decades of war, with 160,000 more refugees from Myanmar, mostly Karen, living in refugee camps on the Thai side of the border. The largest camp is the one in Mae La, Tak province, Thailand, where about 50,000 Karen refugees are hosted. Reports as recently as February 2010, state that

486-479: A prophecy about a book which had been lost and would be returned by a "white brother". This is held to have been fulfilled when the first American Baptist missionaries brought the Bible to the Karen people, but this legend is probably of nineteenth-century origin. Alongside orthodox Christianity, some of those who identify themselves as Christian also have syncretised elements of animism with Christianity. The Karen of

567-563: A report by Guy Horton into depredations by the Myanmar Army against the Karen and other groups in eastern Myanmar stated: Using victims' statements, photographs, maps and film, and advised by legal counsel to the UN tribunal on the former Yugoslavia, he purports to have documented slave labour, systematic rape, the conscription of child soldiers, massacres and the deliberate destruction of villages, food sources and medical services. Throughout

648-566: A second language to communicate with non-Karen neighbours. The Karen languages , members of the Tibeto-Burman group of the Sino-Tibetan language family, consist of three mutually unintelligible branches: Sgaw , Eastern Pwo , and Western Pwo . The Karen languages are almost unique among the Tibeto-Burman languages in having a subject–verb–object word order; other than Karen and Bai , Tibeto-Burman languages typically feature

729-499: A secondary role of the teams is to obtain evidence of military violence and human rights abuse. This information is then published in the form of online reports and/or released to larger international human rights groups, inter-governmental organizations such as the UN , and news agencies. FBR is one of a number of grassroots organizations that have emerged in response to the growing health needs of Myanmar’s persecuted ethnic underclass. FBR

810-586: A team pastor. And another role is video cameraman. I started this work in 1998. At that time the Burma Army came and the villagers fled into the jungle. As they fled I took photos with a still camera. When people looked at the photos I would explain to them. I wanted the photos to open their hearts. I tried but the photos were not enough. I though if had a video camera it would be better. Instead of me speaking for them they speak for themselves and people would be moved. So I wanted to do video. In 2015, KHRG published

891-566: A vanished civilisation. In pre-colonial times, the low-lying Burmese and Mon-speaking kingdoms recognised two general categories of Karen, the Talaing Kayin ( တလိုင်းကရင် ), generally lowlanders who were recognised as the "original settlers" and essential to Mon court life, and the Karen ( ဗမာကရင် ), highlanders who were subordinated or assimilated by the Bamar . The Karen constitute

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972-591: A whole is heterogeneous and disparate as many Karen ethnic groups do not associate or identify with each other culturally or linguistically. These Karen groups reside primarily in Kayin State , southern and southeastern Myanmar . The Karen account for around 6.69% of the Burmese population. Many Karen have migrated to Thailand , having settled mostly on the Myanmar–Thailand border . A few Karen have settled in

1053-522: Is a Fuller Theological Seminary -educated pastor and ex-member of the U.S. Special Forces . Having already spent a number of years as a missionary in Myanmar, in 1996, following a chance meeting with Aung San Suu Kyi , the leader of the National League for Democracy , TUWAP was inspired to initiate a ‘Global Day of Prayer’ and help to strengthen unity between the majority Burmese population and

1134-518: Is a Christian organization. "The purpose of the Free Burma Rangers is to share the love of Jesus and to be His Ambassadors wherever we go," states Eubank on the FBR website. Every year about 15 multi-ethnic teams, including representatives from the Karen , Karenni , Shan , Arakan , Kachin and other ethnic groups complete the intensive Ranger training. The training program is delivered with

1215-482: Is a Karen refugee who lived in a camp where she went to school and helped her family because her parents sought to go out to work, but they earned little money. Wah suffered from malnutrition because her parents did not have money to buy food for her nine siblings. There is an established governance system in the camps, which are funded by the United Nations, and other donors. The Karen Refugee Committee governs

1296-467: Is a documentary created by Burma Issues Organization. Another documentary, Prayer of Peace: Relief and Resistance in Burma’s War Zones , is a short documentary created by Free Burma Rangers (FBR) , a multi-ethnic humanitarian service movement that brings help, hope and love to people in the war zones of Burma. A short extract from the film: People know me as Monkey. In the Free Burma Rangers, I am

1377-423: Is a relatively modern creation, established in the 19th century with the conversion of some Karen to Christianity and shaped by British colonial policies and practices. "Karen" is an Anglicisation of the Burmese word Kayin ( ကရင် ), whose etymology is unclear. The word may have originally been a derogatory term referring to non-Buddhist ethnic groups, or it may derive from Kanyan , a possibly Mon name of

1458-513: Is a young Karen woman who has resettled in San Diego, CA . Aye said, "After growing up in a place like I did, I wanted to become a nurse. I wanted to help sick people [...] travel to refugee camps in Thailand and care for people who cannot afford medication." Additionally, Eh De Gray, who graduated from San Diego's Crawford High School , wants to go back to the camps and share his knowledge with

1539-504: Is an independent local organisation committed to improving the human rights situation in Burma by projecting the voices of villagers and supporting their strategies to claim human rights. KHRG aims to increase villagers’ capability and opportunity to claim their human rights, and ensure that their voices, priorities and perspectives influence decision makers. They encourage other local and international groups and institutions to support villagers’ self-protection strategies. The first Karen camp

1620-550: Is defined by a belief in ကလၤ k'lar (soul), thirty-seven spirits that embody every individual. Misfortune and sickness are believed to be caused by k'lar that wander away, and death occurs when all thirty-seven klar leave the body. Karen Buddhists are the most numerous of the Karens and account for around 65 percent of the total Karen population. The Buddhist influence came from the Mon who were dominant in Lower Burma until

1701-539: Is difficult to estimate. The last reliable census of Myanmar was conducted in 1931. A 2006 Voice of America article cites an estimate of seven million Karen in Myanmar. There are another 400,000 Karen in Thailand, where they are by far the largest of the hill tribes . Others live in refugee camps in Thailand. Some Karen have left the refugee camps in Thailand to resettle elsewhere, including in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and Scandinavia . In 2011,

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1782-431: Is happening at the relocation sites, so when they are ordered to move they simply flee into hiding in the forests surrounding their farmlands. Tens of thousands of people are presently living in this way "under the constant risk of being captured or shot by passing SPDC patrols who also seek out and destroy their food supplies and crops in the fields. Eventually, they can no longer survive this way and try to make their way to

1863-538: Is home to one of the longest running civil wars in the world. Over the last 50 years, opposition organisations representing a variety of political agendas have taken up arms against the central government in Rangoon. Since 1962, the country has been run by a succession of military governments, including the current ruling junta, the SPDC. The primary victims in Burma's protracted civil war have been ethnic minority people, like

1944-802: Is in Yangon with 20 member associations throughout Myanmar. The KBC operates the KBC Charity Hospital in Insein , Yangon. The KBC also operates the Karen Baptist Theological Seminary in Insein. The seminary runs a theology program as well as a secular degree program (Liberal Arts Programme) to fulfill young Karens' intellectual and vocational needs. The Pwo Karen Baptist Convention is in Ahlone , Yangon and also operates

2025-464: Is not supported by either the Thai or Burmese authorities and their activity inside the Burmese border is clandestine. To bring help, hope and love to people of all faiths and ethnicities in the conflict areas, to shine a light on the actions of oppressors, to stand with the oppressed and support leaders and organizations committed to liberty, justice and service. FBR was formed in the late 1990s following an escalation of Burmese military activity against

2106-677: Is observed annually in August. Karen Martyrs' Day ( Ma Tu Ra ) commemorates the Karen soldiers who have died fighting for Karen self-determination. It is observed annually on 12 August, the anniversary of the death of Saw Ba U Gyi, the first President of the Karen National Union. A species of gecko , Hemidactylus karenorum , is named in honour of the Karen people. Free Burma Rangers FBR trains teams of men and women in front-line medical treatment and reconnaissance techniques. In addition to delivering humanitarian relief,

2187-663: Is the hilly region of the Toungoo district and the Karenni subdivision. The Karen languages, members of the Tibeto-Burman group of the Sino-Tibetan language family, consist of three mutually unintelligible branches: Sgaw, Pwo, and Pa'o.[20] [21] Karenni (Red Karen) and Kayan belong to the Sgaw branch. Karens were Animists originally, but today the majority is Buddhist in conjunction with Animism . The Buddhist influence came from

2268-482: Is visible in their cultures and languages. According to the Karen, their people "arrived in Burma, a region at the time was virtually unpopulated jungle, approximately 2,500 years ago after a migration in several stages from the region of what is now Mongolia, and settled in what is now the Irrawaddy and Sittaung basin of central Burma." This began the movement of peoples like the Karen from the central lowlands out into

2349-561: The 8888 Uprising , the KNLA had accepted those demonstrators in their bases along the border. The dictatorship expanded the army and launched a series of major offensives against the KNLA. By 2006, the KNLA's strength had shrunk to less than 4,000, opposing what is now a 400,000-man Burmese army. However, the political arm of the KNLA – the KNU – continued efforts to resolve the conflict through political means. The conflict continues as of 2006 , with

2430-735: The Andaman and Nicobar Islands , India, and other Southeast Asian and East Asian countries. The Karen consist of two subgroups, the White Karen and the Red Karen . The Karen groups as a whole are often confused with the Padaung tribe, best known for the neck rings worn by their women, but they are just one sub-group of Red Karens (Karenni), one of the tribes of Kayah in Kayah State , Myanmar. Karen insurgent groups, led primarily by

2511-524: The Gobi Desert , although they have lived in Myanmar for centuries. Most scholars dismiss the notion of a Gobi desert crossing, but rather translate the legend as describing "rivers of water flowing with sand". This could refer to the sediment-laden Yellow River of China, the upper reaches of which is considered to be the Urheimat of Sino-Tibetan languages . According to the legends, the Karen took

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2592-598: The Karen National Union (KNU), have waged war against the Burmese government since early 1949. The original aim of the KNU was to create an independent Karen homeland called Kawthoolei , but since 1976 they have shifted towards calling for a federal system in Myanmar instead. Even so, the KNU has declined invitations to speak with the Burmese junta. Karen legends refer to a "river of running sand" which ancestors reputedly crossed. Many Karen believe this refers to

2673-612: The Karen Youth Organisation (KYO), at Vinton Memorial Hall in Yangon . The meeting called for a Karen state with a seaboard, an increased number of seats (25%) in the Constituent Assembly, a new ethnic census, and a continuance of Karen units in the armed forces. The deadline of 3 March passed without a reply from the British government, and Saw Ba U Gyi , the first president of the KNU, resigned from

2754-463: The Karen people . Villages were destroyed, people killed and more than 100,000 people forced from their homes in a program of violence that was designed to remove people from land to make way for developing business interests. The history, character and ongoing activity of the Rangers is closely linked to its American founder Dave Eubank, who assumed the Karen pseudonym Tha-U-Wah-A-Pah ("TUWAP"). He

2835-592: The Mon who were dominant in Lower Burma until the middle of the 18th century. Tha Byu , the first convert to Christianity in 1828. Persecution of Christians by the Burmese authorities has continued to this day, fuelled by the belief that Western imperialists have sought to divide the country not only on ethnic but on religious grounds. Burma is a country of ethnic diversity, its estimated population of 48–50 million being divided between 15 major ethnic groups, many of them with distinct subgroups. These groups come from very different origins. The extent of differences

2916-656: The State Peace & Development Council (SPDC), Burma's previous ruling military junta . The organisation's goal is to support villagers in rural Burma, by helping them develop strategies to resist abuse and by translating their testimonies for worldwide distribution, accompanied by supporting photos and documentary evidence. Most recently, KHRG was awarded the Asia Democracy and Human Rights Award in 2013, and KHRG staffers have been chosen to represent national civil society organisations in discussing land rights with

2997-694: The British. Despite its Christian leadership, the KNA sought to unite all Karens of different regional and religious backgrounds into one organisation. They argued at the 1917 Montagu–Chelmsford hearings in India that Myanmar was not "yet in a fit state for self-government ". Three years later, after submitting a criticism of the 1920 Craddock Reforms , they won 5 (and later 12) seats in the Legislative Council of 130 (expanded to 132) members. The majority Buddhist Karens were not organised until 1939 with

3078-420: The Burmese army continues to burn Karen villages, displacing thousands of people. Many Karen, including people such as former KNU secretary Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan and his daughter, Zoya Phan , have accused the military government of Myanmar of ethnic cleansing . The U.S. State Department has also cited the Burmese government for suppression of religious freedom . A 2005 New York Times article on

3159-504: The Burmese ethnic majority, including military recruitment and seats in the legislature. Some Christian Karens began asserting an identity apart from their non-Christian counterparts, and many became leaders of Karen ethno-nationalist organisations, including the Karen National Union . In 1881 the Karen National Associations (KNA) was founded by western-educated Christian Karens to represent Karen interests with

3240-618: The Governor's Executive Council the next day. After the war ended, Myanmar was granted independence in January 1948, and the Karen, led by the KNU, attempted to co-exist peacefully with the Burman ethnic majority. Karen people held leading positions in both the government and the army. In the fall of 1948, the Burmese government, led by U Nu , began raising and arming irregular political militias known as Sitwundan . These militias were under

3321-595: The Irrawaddy delta are mostly Christians, whereas Buddhists tend to be found mainly in Kayin state and surrounding regions. An estimated 15 to 20 percent of Karen identify themselves as Christian today and about 90 percent of Karen people in the US are Christians. Though other estimates put the Karen Christian population as high as 30 percent. The Karen Baptist Convention (KBC) was established in 1913. Its headquarters

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3402-578: The Japanese invade the country. Among the victims were a pre-war Cabinet minister, Saw Pe Tha, and his family. A government report later claimed the "excesses of the BIA" and "the loyalty of the Karens towards the British" as the reasons for these attacks. The intervention by Colonel Suzuki Keiji , the Japanese commander of the BIA, after meeting a Karen delegation led by Saw Tha Din, appears to have prevented further atrocities. The Karen people aspired to have

3483-588: The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the KNU's army. In late January 1949, the Army Chief of Staff, Gen. Smith Dun, a Karen, was removed from office and imprisoned. He was replaced by the Burmese nationalist Ne Win . Simultaneously a commission was looking into the Karen problem and this commission was about to report their findings to the Burmese government. The findings of the report were overshadowed by this political shift at

3564-437: The Karen diaspora population was estimated to be approximately 67,000. Following British victories in the three Anglo-Burmese wars , Myanmar was annexed as a province of British India in 1886. Baptist missionaries introduced Christianity to Myanmar beginning in 1830, and they were successful in converting many Karen. Christian Karens were favoured by the British colonial authorities and were given opportunities not available to

3645-475: The Karen, Mon and Karenni. Under the rule of the SPDC, farming villages have to deal with several Army battalions moving into the area, restricting the movements of villagers and demanding food, labour, and building materials. Karen families operate on a subsistence level, growing enough rice and vegetables for their own use. Their system has no safety net in hard times, therefore there is no built-in capacity to deal with this situation. Their forced relocation under

3726-776: The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission and the Myanmar Peace Center, and to testify before the United Nations Security Council about child soldiers. The Karen are a group of Indo-Chinese tribes living principally in Burma in the Indo-Chinese Peninsula. The greater part of this territory they occupy in connection with the other peoples of the country, namely, the Burmese, Shan, Siamese, and Chin. The only exclusively Karen country

3807-804: The Pwo Karen Theological Seminary. There are other schools for Karen people in Myanmar, such as Paku Divinity School in Taungoo, Kothabyu Bible School in Pathein, and Yangon Home Mission School. The Thailand Karen Baptist Convention is in Chiang Mai , Thailand . The Seventh-day Adventists have built several schools in the Karen refugee camps in Thailand. Eden Valley Academy in Tak and Karen Adventist Academy in Mae Hong Son are

3888-497: The Pwo Karen, who developed it as a way to reinforce community values. The sae klee dance or bamboo dance is a traditional Karen performance held during celebrations such as Christmas and New Year's. Performers are typically divided into two groups. One group creates a platform by holding bamboo sticks in a checkered pattern , while the other group dances on top of the platform. Dancers must be careful to avoid stepping into one of

3969-444: The SPDC military is for the purpose of using them as a convenient source of unpaid labour at local Army camps and along the roads. After a few months, many people find they have little option but to starve or flee. The Burmese army carries out massive forced relocation of rural villages, with the intention of eliminating civilian support for opposition groups or clearing ground for infrastructural projects. These days most people know what

4050-496: The Thailand-Burma border. According to BMC, "79% of refugees living in these camps are Karen ethnicity." Their lives are restricted in the camps because they usually cannot go out, and the Thai police might arrest them if they do. Employment for the Karen refugees is scarce and risky. Former refugee Hla Wah said, "No jobs [...] So if adults wanted to work, they had to leave quietly without getting caught by Thai police." Wah

4131-633: The Thai–Burmese border examines the role of the KHRG on the Burmese-Thai border. She argues that even though "the past decade has seen the rapid development of transnationalism research, transnationalism from below in situations of mass refugee influx has received little attention. However, the case study of Burmese refugees in Thailand clearly demonstrates that those refugees can maintain economic, social, cultural and political links with co-nationals in all

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4212-425: The border [between Burma and] Thailand to become refugees." The Karen Human Rights Group envisions a future in which people in Burma achieve full human rights and justice. To this end, the KHRG seeks to further develop as an independent, credible and Karen-led organisation working in close co-operation with local communities and operating with a perspective on human rights as articulated by villagers themselves. KHRG

4293-467: The border of the two states. New camps have often been established close to wherever large groups of new refugees crossed, frequently in the wake of military offensives. Individual families and smaller groups arriving in Thailand separately have gone to established camps. While some camps are located on main roads and near Thai villages, many are in remote areas. The terrain along the border is mountainous and heavily forested in places. Human Rights in Burma

4374-435: The case of the Karen after the war . While the situation of the Karen was discussed, nothing practical was done before the British left Myanmar. The 1947 Constitution, drawn without Karen participation due to their boycott of the elections to the Constituent Assembly , also failed to address the Karen question specifically and clearly, leaving it to be discussed only after independence. The Shan and Karenni states were given

4455-608: The command of Major Gen. Ne Win and outside the control of the regular army. In January 1949, some of these militias went on a rampage through Karen communities. The Karen National Union has maintained its structure and purpose from the 1950s onward. The KNU acts as a governmental presence for the Karen people, offering basic social services for those affected by the insurgency, such as Karen refugees or internally displaced Karen. These services include building school systems in Thailand and inside Burma, providing medical services, regulating trade and commerce, and providing security through

4536-410: The conflict involving ISIS in Syria and Iraq . The film Rambo was released worldwide in early 2008, with Sylvester Stallone continuing his role as the eponymous hero . In it, a fictionalised Burmese military played the role of the 'evil oppressors' and, although the film didn't make it to Burmese cinema screens, it became a huge underground success amongst the Burmese population. Research for

4617-450: The day-to-day administration of the camp under the authority of the Thai government which guards entrances and exits to the camp. Within the camp there is a robust school system for children up to high school. In some camps there are college courses organized by the Karen Refugee Committee – Education Entity. Beginning in 2000, the Karen started resettling in the United States and Canada . Many Karen have problems fitting in and adjusting to

4698-473: The domains of the refugee diaspora, even if their capabilities are in principle strained." It is believed that these organisations play a fundamental role in aiding refugees and helping them sustain their socio-political legitimacy. Karen people The Karen ( / k ə ˈ r ɛ n / kə- REN ), also known as the Kayin , Kariang or Kawthoolese , are an ethnolinguistic group of Tibeto-Burman language -speaking people. The group as

4779-425: The essential dish of Karen cuisine. The Karen New Year (ကညီနံၣ်ထီၣ်သီ) is one of the major holidays that the Karen people celebrate. The date of the Karen New Year on the Gregorian calendar varies as the Karen people use the lunar calendar . The Karen New Year usually falls on a date in December or January on the Gregorian calendar. Karen Wrist Tying (ကညီလါခူးကံၢ်စု) is an important Karen holiday. This holiday

4860-421: The first convert to Christianity in 1828, was baptised by Rev. George Boardman , an associate of Adoniram Judson , founder of the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society . Today there are Christians belonging to the Catholic Church and various Protestant denominations. Some of the largest Protestant denominations are Baptists and Seventh-day Adventists . A popular legend among the Karen people concerns

4941-420: The formation of a Buddhist KNA. In 1938 the British colonial administration recognised Karen New Year as a public holiday . During World War II , when the Japanese occupied the region, long-term tensions between the Karen and Burma turned into open fighting. As a consequence, many villages were destroyed and massacres committed by both the Japanese and the Burma Independence Army (BIA) troops who helped

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5022-508: The help of other specialist organisations, including the Mae Tao Clinic and covers a diverse and comprehensive mix of practical relief, survival skills and socio-political awareness, including: Break down of full-time relief teams by ethnic origin Overview of FBR relief operations since 1997 Total teams trained: 300 Relief missions conducted: over 1,000 Patients treated: over 550,000 People helped: over 1,500,000 FBR teams operate in conflict zones other than Burma, such as

5103-449: The hills. The British took over what is now Burma in 3 wars: 1824–26, 1852–53, and finally in 1886, when ‘Burma’ became part of the British Empire as a province of British India. Burma gained its independence in 1948. "The military has dominated government since General Ne Win led a coup in 1962 that toppled the civilian government of U Nu . Burma remains under the tight control of the military-led State Peace and Development Council." Burma

5184-452: The insurgency, hundreds of thousands of Karen fled to refugee camps while many others (numbers unknown) were internally displaced persons within the Karen state. The refugees were concentrated in camps along the Myanmar–Thailand border . According to refugee accounts, the camps suffered from overcrowding, disease, and periodic attacks by the Myanmar Army . Around 400,000 Karen people are without housing, and 128,000 are living in camps on

5265-404: The leading center of Karen language Buddhist literature. Many millennial sects were founded throughout the 1800s, led by Karen Buddhist minlaung rebels. Two sects, Telakhon (or Telaku) and Leke, were founded in the 1860s. The Telaku sect, founded in Kyaing and considered a Buddhist sect , is a mixture of spirit worship, Karen customs and worship of the future Buddha Metteyya . The Leke sect

5346-446: The middle of the 18th century. Buddhist Karen are found mainly in Kayin State, Mon State , Yangon , Bago and Tanintharyi Region . There are Buddhist monasteries in most Karen villages, and the monastery is the centre of community life. Merit-making activities, such as alms giving, are central to Karen Buddhist life. Buddhism was brought to Pwo-speaking Karens in the late-1700s, and the Yedagon Monastery atop Mount Zwegabin became

5427-454: The new country. "90% of the Karen refugees reported no knowledge of English or French on arrival." An estimated 8,500 Karen live in Minnesota, primarily Saint Paul . In 2014, Ler Htoo was sworn in after graduating from the St. Paul Police Academy in Minnesota as the first Karen police officer in the United States. More than 5,000 Karen live in Nebraska , and the Karen have also resettled in Southern California and central New York . Mu Aye

5508-413: The past century. Duwae , a type of pagoda worship, with animistic origins, is also practised. There are several prominent Karen Buddhist monks, including Thuzana (S'gaw) and Zagara, who was conferred the Agga Maha Saddammajotika title by the Burmese government in 2004. The Karen of Thailand have their own religion, but some have converted to Buddhism through the efforts of missionaries. Tha Byu ,

5589-435: The platform's many holes. Talabaw or bamboo soup is a traditional Karen dish typically prepared with bamboo shoots , snakehead fish and basil leaves . A small amount of rice and some shreds of meat or seafood may also be added. The soup was traditionally used as a supplement to rice, which was not readily or cheaply available to them. Talabaw is one of the most well known soups in Myanmar, and widely considered to be

5670-429: The regime is working to dominate, control, and radically assimilate all the ethnic peoples of the country.” In January 2013, footage obtained by the Free Burma Rangers and released to the world's media was instrumental in stopping continued Burmese military offensives against the Kachin Independence Army in the north of Myanmar. At least one FBR team was present at the liberation of Mosul , Iraq , in 2017. FBR

5751-450: The regions where they formed the majority turned into a subdivision or "state" within Myanmar similar to what the Shan , Kachin and Chin peoples had been given. A goodwill mission led by Saw Tha Din and Saw Ba U Gyi to London in August 1946 failed to receive any encouragement from the British government for any separatist demands. In January 1947 a delegation of representatives of the Governor's Executive Council headed by Aung San

5832-621: The right to secession after 10 years, the Kachin their own state, and the Chin a special division. The Mon and Arakanese of Ministerial Myanmar were not given any consideration. In early February 1947, the Karen National Union (KNU) was formed at a Karen Congress attended by 700 delegates from the Karen National Associations, both Baptist and Buddhist (KNA, founded 1881), the Karen Central Organisation (KCO) and its youth wing,

5913-540: The school children. Gray said, "I want to share my knowledge and experiences with them." There is a population of 2,500 Karen in India, mostly restricted to Mayabunder Tehsil of the Northern Andaman Islands within the union territory of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands . Nearly all of them are Baptist Protestant Christians. They retain their language to intercommunicate within community, but use Hindi as

5994-478: The third largest ethnic population in Myanmar, after the Bamars and Shans . The Karen people live mostly in the hills bordering the eastern mountainous region and Irrawaddy delta of Myanmar, primarily in Kayin State (formerly Karen State), with some in Kayah State , southern Shan State , Ayeyarwady Region , Tanintharyi Region , Bago Division and in northern and western Thailand. The total number of Karen

6075-598: The top of the Burmese government. The Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) , formed in July 1947, then rose up in an insurgency against the government. They were helped by the defections of the Karen Rifles and the Union Military Police (UMP) units which had been successfully deployed in suppressing the earlier Burmese Communist rebellions, and came close to capturing Yangon itself. The most notable

6156-450: The two largest Seventh-day Adventist Karen schools. Crop rotation agriculture has been a part of Karen culture for at least several hundred years. The don dance is a traditional Karen performance. "Don" roughly translates to "in agreement". The dance is a series of uniform movements accompanied by music played from traditional Karen instruments. During the performance, a "Don Koh" leads the troupe of dancers. The don dance originated from

6237-520: The various minority ethnic groups. TUWAP was then in Myanmar during the Army Offensives of 1997, distributing medicine to those displaced by the conflict, and it was during this time that he decided to employ his broad mixture of skills to bring a unique brand of humanitarian relief to a greater number. In the words of the FBR leader, “[The situation in Burma] is a slow, creeping cancer, in which

6318-479: Was established in 1984, not far from the border town of Mae Sot in Thailand's Tak Province. By 1986, there were 12 Karen refugee camps with a collective population of 19,000 people in Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces. The border between Thailand and Burma is over 2,000 km long, with thousands of potential crossing points. The link attached illustrates the Karen districts and the locations of various refugee camps along

6399-582: Was founded on the western banks of the Thanlwin River , and is no longer associated with Buddhism (as followers do not venerate Buddhist monks). Followers believe that the future Buddha will return to Earth if they maintain their moral practices (following the Dharma and precepts ), and they practice vegetarianism , hold Saturday services and construct distinct pagodas. Several Buddhist socioreligious movements, both orthodox and heterodox, have arisen in

6480-626: Was invited to London to negotiate for the Aung San – Attlee Treaty, but none of the ethnic minority groups was included by the British government. The following month at the Panglong Conference , when an agreement was signed between Aung San as head of the interim Burmese government and the Shan, Kachin and Chin leaders, the Karen were present only as observers; the Mon and Arakanese were also absent. The British promised to consider

6561-617: Was the Battle of Insein , nine miles from Yangon, where they held out in a 111-day siege till late May 1949. Years later, the Karen had become the largest of 20 minority groups participating in an insurgency against the military dictatorship in Yangon. During the 1980s, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) fighting force numbered approximately 20,000. After an uprising of the people of Myanmar in 1988, known as

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