Letter to all Karen around the world to help the needs of Karen people under the recent attacks of the SPDC troops

We, the Karen Community Based Organizations (KCBO[1]) are writing to request all Karen around the world to cooperate with us as we prepare to help Karen people who have and may again soon flee their homes in Karen state and Burma’s border areas as the consequences of the undemocratic election process.

We have witnessed that the elections were clearly neither free nor fair. But they have also created more refugees and displacement before, during and after the election. The current incidents in Myawaddy, Three Pagodas Pass and Waw Lay Kee provide clear evidence of how the SPDC are strategizing to eliminate all ethnic opposition, including ceasefire groups that have refused to be under its direct control in the Border Guard Force, as required by the 2008 Constitution. The junta will carry out their plan and more people will continue to flee.

The SPDC have been sending more troops in the areas where the incidents are taking place. Currently, the Waw Lay Kee village in the KNU-6th Brigade area is occupied by SPDC troops. More than 3,000 villagers fled to Thailand's side since the 9th of November at this location. Most villagers have returned to Burma's side but many are hiding outside the village and waiting for the situation to be safe enough for them to return to their homes. There are some organizations that provided water, food, medicine, and clothing while villagers took refuge in Thailand's side.

In order to provide assistance to Karen people for further attacks as Karen people will be directly affected by the SPDC's policy, we the KCBO are now organizing to coordinate to help our people. We discussed the needs will be divided into 2 different categories:

1. Support for villagers: Villagers need health care, food, shelter, clothing and basic hygiene supplies

2. Support for activities against Burma's military: this is the means to provide supplies to strengthen the activities to defend our Karen people.

Therefore, we KCBO are requesting all Karen individuals and organizations worldwide to contribute for the needs of displaced villagers and activities against the Burma's military. It is optional for individual and organizations if they are willing to provide only one or both forms of support.

For more information, please contact; Mahn Mahn +66 879438750

Naw Hsa Moo +66 817408119

Naw Paw Gay +66 872113035

Email – kcboerc@gmail.com

Bank name - Bangkok Bank

Branch - Mae Sot

Account name - LOI WA -WAPO

Account No. 713 – 0 – 04465 - 9

Swift code - BKKBTHBK

Bank address - 127/8, Prasawhiti road

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[1] The KCBO is comprised of different Karen community based organizations including Karen Student Network Group, Burma Issue-Karen area, Federation of Trade Union Kawthoolei, Back Pack Health Worker Team, Karen Woman Organization, Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People, Karen Education Department, Karen Youth Organization, KDHW and Karen Office of Relief and Development. The KCBO was formed in 2009 to coordinate in response to the emergency needs of Karen.