Karen Communities Worldwide Call for Peace on International Day of Peace

Karen communities around the world strongly welcome the statement made by the Karen National Union on 15 September 2011, to call for peace in Burma on International Day of Peace on 21st of September. This is the second successive year the KNU have called for such a ceasefire and the Karen communities around the world fully support it.

Despite the recent election plus the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the noble peace prize winner, human rights abuses in Burma continue especially in Karen State and other ethnic areas. Attacks on ethnic civilians continue as the regime broke ceasefire agreements with ethnic ceasefire groups. The dictatorship continues to target civilians in their military operations, which are in breach of the Geneva Conventions, and which requires immediate international action.

Karen communities worldwide support the Karen National Union (KNU) for standing firm to defend the Karen people and finding ways to look after the wellbeing of the Karen people. The KNU has always called for dialogue with the ruling regime in line with the call from international community including United Nations, European Union and USA to solve the problems by political means. However, the dictatorship ignores this call and continues its military offensives against the Karen people.

It’s time for international community to put effective pressure on the Thein Sein government to end all its military operations against the Karen and other ethnic civilians and order a nationwide ceasefire leading to tripartite dialogue for the emergence of human rights and democracy as requested by the KNU and the ethnic alliance .

“We fully support and welcome the Karen National Union’s decision to continue showing their enthusiasm towards peace with Thein Sein government on this special occasion of International Day of Peace. The attacks on our people must stop right now”, said Htoo Ku Hsar Say, board member of European Karen Network. “Thein Sein government says they want change and want ceasefires. Now we will see if they are serious. Thein Sein should also declare a ceasefire on the international day of peace.”

The Karen communities worldwide require genuine democracy, peace and national reconciliation, to rebuild our homeland and our dreams for a peaceful federal democratic Union of Burma, where everyone regardless of ethnicity, religions can live side by side in peace.

For more information contact:

• Htoo Ku Hsarsay, board member of European Karen Network +447940522425 (UK)
• Saw Lwin Oo, National President of Australia Karen Organisation +61 4123 44009(Australia)

This post is in: Press Release