SECOND EUROPEAN KAREN CONFERENCE WAS HELD SUCCESSFULLY

A Europe-wide Karen conference was held successfully on 28-29 December 2010 in Nyborg, Denmark.

This is the second time a European Karen Conference, organised by the European Karen Network, has been held in Europe. Karen communities from five countries; Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Norway and the United Kingdom, participated in the meeting.

The purpose of this meeting is to organise Karen communities in Europe to support the struggle for freedom in Burma.

Various issues related to the Karen people were discussed during the meeting including, the need to strengthen Karen communities across Europe, how to influence governments in countries where there are Karen communities, and improve cooperation with other exiled ethnic groups from Burma.

As the November 2010 elections in Burma did not bring change that the Karen and all the people in Burma want, EKN believes that through inclusive dialogue and the establishment of a federal democratic Burma, we can move forward towards real freedom that guarantees positive change and equality for all the people in Burma. EKN would like to welcome other Karen communities around the world to work together for the development of the Karen people.

EKN calls on the European Union and the United Nations to redouble its efforts to pressure the dictatorship in Burma to enter into negotiations with ethnic forces, and democracy forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, through tripartite dialogue. The EU and UN should take the issue of the Karen and other ethnic groups more seriously and bring them into Burma’s political process.

European Karen Network was set up in July 2009 with the aim to raise awareness about the situation of the Karen people of Burma, and Burma as a whole. We are the voice in Europe of the Karen struggle for freedom. We pressure European governments and the rest of the international community to do more to bring about democratic transition in Burma.

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Note to the editor:

Karen New Year celebration is taking place on 30th December 2010 following the European Karen Conference and it is organised by the Karen Community Denmark. 

At European Karen Network Conference, Denmark 28-29 December 2010.

At European Karen Network Conference, Denmark 28-29 December 2010.