The General Secretary of the Karen National Union, P’Doh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, called for Karen unity at a ceremony marking the 65th Karen Revolution Day, at Hpa-an district, 7th Brigade headquarters.
“We need to rebuild the unity of the Karen people. The Burma’s [Army’s] Border Guard Force (BGF) and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) were once a part of our KNU organization. Therefore, we [Karen armed organizations] should rebuild an understanding among us and start working for the benefit of all of our people,” he said.
The ceremony, attended by around 3,000 people including KNU leadership, military commanders, BGF, soldiers, and civilians, started with a military parade at 7am. The Karen Women Organization (KWO), Karen Youth Organization (KYO) and Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) also part in the ceremony.
Traditional and contemporary singing and dancing also accompanied the ceremony with Kabyar Bwae Hmu, a famous Karen singer, performing as well as traditional Karen ‘Don’ dancing at the closing ceremony.
Border Guard Force Battalion 1015 was present at the ceremony and its Battalion Commander, Saw Win Naing said in an interview with Karen News.
“We also accept the good terms and unity for Karen people and Karen nation. KNU is our mother organization. We, the Karen people were divided by the enemy and did not take care of each. Now, we have been reunited. We are happy to join the Karen Revolutionary Day ceremony. I believed that one day, all Karen people would be united with equal rights.”
Karen National liberation Army (KNLA) Chief of Staff General Jonny closed the ceremony with the flying of the Karen flag alongside fellow Karen armed group commanders.
Revolution ‘Not Over Yet’
Celebrations of the 65th Karen Revolution Day also took place at Day-Pu-Noh village in Papun district, and were attended by over five thousand people. The ceremony was attended by KNU’s vice-chairperson, P’Doh Naw Zipporah Sein and the KNLA’s vice-chief-of-staff, General Baw Kyaw Heh.
In a speech at the ceremony, General Baw Kyaw Heh said that the Karen revolution was not yet over.
“The Karen Revolution has been a long 65 years. We have not reached our goals yet. We all should not forget the will of 1949. Our revolution is not over yet. The struggle continues.”
