SLAUGHTER OF ETHNIC KAREN BY BURMESE MILITARY
There are around eight million Karen living
in the south-western
regions of Burma (Myanmar), making them
the largest ethnic minority
group in that ethnically diverse land. Up
to 40% of all Karen are
Christian, including many of the Karen leaders.
The current ruling party is the State Peace
and Development Council
(SPDC). The SPDC is actively engaged in
the annihilation of ethnic
cultures. Around 30,000 Karen have died
during the last five years
as a result of military actions. Around
300,000 Karen are
internally displaced, hiding in the jungles
of Burma without food
or shelter. Many of the jungle areas are
'black areas' where the
Burmese military have permission to shoot
on sight (in order to
suppress the Karen National Union: the KNU).
There are currently 120,000 Karen refugees
in camps on the Thailand
border. Even in the Thai camps the Karen
are not safe as the
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), a
break-away militia of the
KNU, massacre Karen in the camps with the
support of the Burmese
Army. Thailand is still not a signatory
to the 1951 UN Convention
on the Status of Refugees, so no recognition
of refugee status is
available and protection is not offered.
Karen are used by the military as slaves,
doing forced portering and
labouring. There have been multitudes of
disappearances, tortures,
executions, rapes and murders. On 26 July,
twenty-two Karen were
massacred by the Burmese Army Infantry Battalion
101. These were
men, women and children, including a breast-fed
baby, a two year old
child and an eight year old girl. More villagers
are missing and are
not yet counted as dead. On 31 July, the
same Battalion captured,
raped and killed seven more Karen, including
a nine year old girl
and a pregnant woman. Around 400 Karen from
this area are fleeing
for their lives. They are being pursued
by military.
PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY
FOR:
* safety for the Karen in Burma and in the
Thai camps. Up to 40%
of the Karen are Christian. They
supported the British during
WW2 and were massacred by the Japanese
as a result. They are our
brothers and sisters - do not forget
them.
* ASEAN, which admitted Myanmar as a member
two years ago. Pray
that ASEAN will be effective in pressuring
the Burmese military
to respect the human rights of minority
groups.
* the faith of the Karen Christians to remain
strong in the face
of suffering and fear. May this be
a witness to all who see it.
* Pastors and Christian workers amongst the
Karen, in villages
and camps, to be encouraged through
experiences of grace and
God's mighty hand at work in salvation
and protection.
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