Violent attacks have displaced more than
10,000 ethnic Karen villagers since November. It is the biggest movement
in ten years made by soldiers of the Burmese military junta; officially
known as the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Civilians that
have fled homes seeking refuge in Thailand face grave danger from landmines
deliberately laid along the border to stop further refugee movement.
The UN Security Council has been called
into action by Human Rights Watch over the escalating violence that has
been in existence since Burma became independent from the British Empire
in 1948. "The atrocious situation in Burma is exactly the kind of crisis
the Security Council was designed to address. Without swift action, the
killings and abuses there will not stop," said Brad Adams, Asia Director
at Human Rights Watch.
The Karen are the largest ethnic minority group living in the mountain ranges of eastern Burma and north western Thailand. A mainly Christian minority, there are around seven million Karen living in Burma and another 400,000 across the border in Thailand.
Since November, the Karen people have watched as troops looted and burned their homes. They live in fear of anti-personnel landmines that have deliberately been planted by the military to terrorise the local population. Those who have survived the flight from attacks have spoken the word 'myo dong', meaning genocide in Karen. Many have lost loved ones, and others have been recruited and forced into unpaid labour for the army. In a rare lifting of secrecy, the Generals of the military have recently admitted to targeting the Karen tribe.
Action and interference from the UN Security Council will stop the violence. Until then, systematic and widespread abuse of ethnic minority groups will continue. Independent estimates suggest that, as late as 2004, as many as 650,000 people have been internally displaced in eastern Burma alone. A recent survey shows at least 240 villages have been destroyed, abandoned or relocated.
Many refugees have found shelter in camps that are scattered across the Burma/Thai border. There are over 110,000 Karen living in these refugee camps and many more trying to survive as Internally Displaced Persons (IDP).
Baptist World Aid Australia supports partners who are working in the camps to help empower those who have been displaced. One of our partners, Karen Women's Organisation (KWO) is active in all Karen refugee camps along the border. The KWO aims to empower the women of these areas in all spheres of life, including education and general living standards, and to develop women's knowledge, ability and skills in politics and leadership. The project works by developing women as leaders so that they can promote and support the empowerment of women in the communities of IDPs.
The Karen Education Department (KED) is another partner working in the refugee camps. KED is facilitating education in these areas. They train teachers for primary schools and other educational structures to educate children, men and women, empowering people for a brighter future.
Please join in prayer for the Karen people and our partners working with them. It is a big fight against poverty and uncertain futures for them, pray that God's peace and grace comforts them and His guidance shows them the way. Also pray for action and interference from the capable governments and councils of the world, and for the violence to cease.
Information on the Karen people and Burma's situation has been researched and reported by the reputable Reuters Foundation AlertNet. For news as it happens - visit the Reuters website www.alertnet.org.