Karen Revolution Day Unites

Hundreds of people attended a ceremony to mark the 64th anniversary of the Karen revolution and to commemorate its fallen heroes.

Singing, dancing and a soldiers parade at the KNLA’s 7th Brigade marked the ceremony, which saw as many as 700 attending, including leaders from the KNU, KNLA, community based organisation groups and men wearing Burma Army insignia.

Hundreds of people, many arriving by small riverboats, battled unseasonal rain, mud and cold in order to attend. People watched as KNLA marched to the sound of music. The march was followed with a performance of Karen traditional dancing and singing.

Saw Joseph, a young Karen student from Mae La refugee camp, said that Karen Revolution Day was an important symbol for the Karen people. “Thousands will attend ceremonies across Karen State,” he told Karen News.

Joseph, a bass player in a Karen rock band, also performed for many of the soldiers in a night concert before the dawn ceremony – younger soldiers joining in.

Joseph said that music was a way of expression for many young Karen, “some of my songs express Karen issues, such as wanting our freedom,” he said.

In the speech addressed to those attending the ceremony KNU President, General Mutu Say Poe, acknowledged the sacrifice of the Karen people in their decades-long conflict with Burma’s military. “In the period of 64 years of Karen resistance, many of our national leaders, soldiers and people have sacrificed their lives and limbs, blood, sweat and uncountable possessions,” he said.

Mutu Say Poe also took the opportunity to call for a united front of the country’s ethnic people in order to ensure that minority rights would be respected in future. “The cooperation and participation of the ethnic nationalities is vitally important for the acceptable resolution of the main political problem that has caused civil war in Burma/Myanmar.”