An Australian Member of Parliament Mr. Luke Simpkins who attended the 66th anniversary of the Karen Revolution Day in Karen State on 31st January said he recognised the Karen people’s fight for justice.
Mr Simpkins said ,“I support all the ethnic people including the Karen because they are fighting to bring a genuine justice to Burma.”
Mr Simpkins said that he intended to report on the real situation in ethnic areas to the Australian government. Mr Simpkins said that there was ongoing oppression against ethnic people by the Burmese government despite the claims by Australia and other western countries that Burma has reformed.
General Nerdah Mya, of the Karen National Defence Organization (KNDO) agreed with the Australian MP’s comments.
“It is very good that one of the Australian government Members of Parliament views that our revolution is genuine. And we are delighted by his motivational speech [for us] to be united and remain brave.”
Mr Simpkins presented an Australia flag to General Nerdah Mya as a Karen Revolution Day present.
Mr Simpkins is an MP from the Liberal Party and has represented Cowan Division in Western Australia since 2007, 2010, and was relected in 2013.
It was the first time Mr Simpkins had attended the Karen Revolution Day.