Karen National Union delegation visits United Kingdom
Karen
Community Association UK welcomes the Karen National Union (KNU)
delegation visiting the UK from 28 October- 1 November 2013. The
delegation consists of 7 members including 3 women. The delegation is in
the UK to study the peace process in Northern Ireland. During their
visit to UK, the delegation met with senior leaders and negotiators from
Northern Ireland and the British Government who have been involved in
reconciliation work in Northern Ireland. The delegation also visited
main conflict effected areas in Belfast to see how communities on each
side lived and experienced the conflict.
The delegation also
met with Karen community in the UK and discussed the current situation
of the Karen people, including progress on ceasefire negotiations with
the Burmese government, coordination with ethnic alliances, the human
rights situation in Karen areas, refugee concerns, and the political
goal of the KNU to establish a federal Burma.
Despite a ceasefire
agreement reached between the Karen National Union and Burmese
Government almost two years ago, there is no sign of genuine political
dialogue, which will provide sustainable development and long-lasting
peace for Karen people. The KNU is still a banned organisation, and
cannot operate legally to reach out to different Karen communities in
Burma. Many Karen continue to face human rights violations including
forced labour, arbitrary arrest, arbitrary detention, and land
confiscation. Since the peace process began, land that Karen people have
been on for generations is being seized by the Burmese authorities on a
much bigger scale with little or no compensation. This brought
destruction to local people.
Ten of thousands of
refugees along the border of Thailand still cannot return back to their
villages as Burmese Army is increasing troops numbers in the areas they
fled from. There are also no significant landmines removal programmes.
Refugees continue to require aid from international community and ration
cuts risk forcing them back to unsafe areas.
Nationwide
ceasefire is needed as a basic step towards genuine peace. However,
nationwide ceasefire should not be just an opportunity for the Burmese
government to increase military control as well as economic control over
ethnic areas. It should lead to a meaningful political dialogue.
The Karen Community
Association UK urges Prime Minister David Cameron to review policy on
Burma and put political pressure on the Burmese Government to enter into
a genuine political dialogue with KNU and other genuine ethnic
representatives. It’s time British government pay proper attention to
what’s going on in Karen and other ethnic areas, rather than a policy
almost solely based on Thein Sein and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
Military engagement without tackling the problems of impunity will not be beneficial for the people of Burma.
Media Release From Karen Community Association UK
For Immediate Release 1 November 2013
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