Statement from Karen Communities Worldwide

For Immediate Release March 9th 2010

Karen Communities Worldwide Call for Action to Stop Attacks on Civilians

Karen communities in 10 countries are joining forced for a global day of action on Tuesday 9th March, calling on the international community to take action to stop new attacks by the Burmese Army against Karen civilians. Since mid January more than 2,000 civilians have been forced to flee new attacks.

• Villagers have been shot on site
• A school has been mortar bombed
• One villager has been beheaded
• More than 70 homes have been destroyed
• Schools and health clinics have been burned down
• The regime is stopping aid reaching people who are hiding in the jungle

Karen communities call for immediate practical action to stop the attacks.

• The United Nations Security Council must demand an immediate end to the attacks, which break international law
• Governments, including the European Commission, must provide funding for cross border aid, which is the only way to get food, medicine and shelter to those on the run from the new attacks
• The United Nations should set up a Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimes against humanity being committed by the dictatorship.

Karen people have been under attack for more than 60 years. The new wave of attacks are linked to fake elections due in Burma later this year. The dictatorship is trying to crush all resistance to their rule. They are following the doctrine of the Burmese Army: ‘One Blood, One Voice, One Command’. The new constitution drafted by the dictatorship gives no rights or protection to ethnic nationalities. It is a death sentence to ethnic diversity in Burma. The international community must stop ignoring what is happening to ethnic people in Burma.

We, the Karen Communities Worldwide want genuine democracy, peace and national reconciliation, but not humiliating and military threats always acted by the State Peace and Development Council regime that destroy all our hope and wishes.

Karen Communities in United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Canada, United States, Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Korea are coordinating the day of action, which is being supported by people form Burma and human rights groups.

Contact:
UK – Pa Saw Htee – Karen Community Association UK +447739872481
Australia - Saw Lwin Oo, Australia Karen Organisation +61 4123 44009
Canada – Mahn Kyaw Shwe, Karen Canadian Community +1519-434-0139
Germany – Mahn Aung Lwin, Karen National Community Organisation Germany +491752433418
Norway – Overseas Karen National Organisation +4741847953
USA – Stephen Dun, Karen American Communities Foundation +12062958553