KNU vows to fight on
Posted on July 15, 2009
Filed Under Burma news, Karen news | Comments Off
With the loss of the Karen national Liberation Army’s (KNLA) 7th Brigade headquarters last month (see: 7th Brigade Headquarters falls) the Karen have effectively lost control of the border.
With the Karen National Union (KNU) largely based in Mae Sot, on the Thai side of the border, it seemed like the Karen needed to rethink their strategy. Control of the border had been important to the KNU, giving them income from taxation on cross border trade as well as easy access to resources and supplies from Thailand.
However, with thousands of Karen refugees fleeing across the border to escape the pro-junta Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA)’s advance (see: Villagers flee offensive as Thailand prepares for influx of refugees), it seemed the KNU was virtually powerless.
The defenders of 7th Brigade held on for three weeks, but their retreat meant the KNLA had lost their last major base along the border. This left some Karen supporters in Mae Sot talking about the end of the Karen revolution and suggesting the KNU would now be forced to press for peace talks.
However, this week the KNU has clearly signalled their intention to fight on and to protect their people from the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) as Burma’s ruling military junta chooses to be known, and its policies of ethnic suppression.
In a statement from the KNLA’s 5th Brigade, the KNU said it recognized the SPDC has no plan to end its attacks anytime soon. Consequently, the combined KNLA 5th Brigade and civilian leadership declared that it is prepared to defend the integrity and interests of Karen people at all costs, including militarily.
Mutraw District’s Chairperson Saw Tender was quoted as saying: “We hope that our people will understand our determination to fight against the SPDC’s destructive plans and that they will join hands with us in the fight against such evil.”
The statement also said they recognised that their fight was part of the broader fight of all Burmese people. They added, “As we are resolved to prevent the SPDC from implementing its destructive plots and defend our people to the best of our skills, we call on the international community, particularly our neighbouring countries, to stand by the people of Burma in their search for security, freedom and prosperity.”
Located to the west of 7th Brigade, 5th Brigade is believed to be the DKBA’s next target as it seeks to gain control of the border in preparation for the SPDC’s plans for it to reorganise into a border patrol unit.
The KNLA has less than 4,000 troops against the largest and best-funded military in Southeast Asia. They are poorly funded and rely on aging weapons. But, having fought for 60 years the Karen continue to fight on for their goal of an autonomous homeland in a free and democratic Burma.
The DKBA split from the KNU in 1995 and signed a peace treaty with Burma’s ruling military junta.
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