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Future of Karen refugees remains cloudy


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Future of Karen refugees remains cloudy

By Yiamyut Sutthichaya 
The Nation WEEKEND 
Amara Camp, Myanmar 

 

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Hundreds of ethic Karen youth perform traditional dances during the Karen National Day ceremony at the Amara camp on Feb.11

 

The near-future of Karen refugees to Thailand seems cloudy as the peace process in Myanmar has failed to deliver their hoped-for rights and land

 

The 71st anniversary of the Karen National Day was held this year under uncertainty and anxiety as the Karen National Union (KNU) withdrew from the on-going peace process, leaving little hope for the Karen who dream of returning home. 

 

Deep within the mountainous terrain of the Tanintharyi special division on the strife-torn Myanmar-Thailand border, the national day for the Karen minority was celebrated on February 11 at the Amara camp – a shelter that was meant to handle the return of Karen refugees from Thailand. 

Thousands of Karen from both Thailand and Myanmar gathered to participate in the parade. Businessmen from both countries could also be seen checking out the untapped resources and business opportunities, thus highlighting the economic significance of this region where KNU and the Nay Pyi Taw government have long competed for domination, once via armed clashes and now through other means.

 

The Karen National Day has been held annually for 70 years to commemorate the day when a hundred-thousand Karen rallied in the former capital of Yangon to call for their right to self-determination after Myanmar – then Burma – became independent from the British Empire in 1948.

 

After their demand was rejected, the KNU took up armed struggle for autonomy. Leaders of the struggle’s founding generation eventually passed away. After Bo Mya died in 2006, a new generation of leaders emerged and decided to join the Nay Pyi Taw-sponsored Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2015.

 

The KNU decided to walk away from the peace process last year after the Tatmadaw (Myanmar military) refused to reconsider its principle of non-separation and having a single army, thus making the peace process seem like a pact for surrender. The withdrawal, however, left the KNU facing political uncertainty over its long-standing aim to achieve rights and autonomy over its land.

 

Thaw Thi, a member of the Myeik-Dewei administration committee, said KNU withdrew because the central government could not function freely in the peace-building process. The group might consider a return to peace talks if there was an opening that would allow them to achieve their objectives peacefully.

 

Lt-General Sunny, the KNU’s 4th Brigade commander, said the agency remained in informal contact with Myanmar authorities despite its withdrawal. It was for the KNU Congress, the highest decision-making body that takes place once every four years, to make the final decision over the Karens’ political future.

 

Local sheriff Aye Doh said two out of nine villages in Tanintharyi have already been put under Myanmar’s newly established sub-district administration and Nay Pyi Taw has tried to include the remaining four villages. 

 

While the ceasefire-agreement process had created safeguards for normal people’s lives, the KNU withdrawal has created an atmosphere of uncertainty and they fear violence from future attacks.

 

The KNU’s armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), has seven brigades across the border areas with Thailand and the 4th brigade’s stance does not represent them all.

 

Clashes could take place at any time and the violence has long affected the border with Thailand.

 

Surapong Kongchanteuk, director of Karen Studies and Development Centre in Thailand, said the Tatmadaw offensive against KNU strongholds over the past two decades has forced the displacement of thousands of Karen refugees to Thailand.

 

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Soider parade to mark the Karen Natioanl Day

 

More than 97,000 refugees from Myanmar have taken shelter in nine camps along the Thai border since the late 1980s. Bangkok reached a deal with Nay Pyi Taw to repatriate them a few years ago, but the enforcement was at a slow pace. This week, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that the repatriation of more than 500 Myanmar refugees – the third attempt of its kind since 2016 – was taking place. However, only 164 refugees returned in the previous two attempts.

Future uncertainty due to the KNU peace-process break down posed a major stumbling block for the repatriation plan.

 

“Even though many houses were built, the returnees were in small numbers since the refugees feared for their safety and the lack of land and rights,” Surapong said.

 

“I perceive that they came to Thailand because Myanmar is not safe. 

 

“If their safety were genuinely guaranteed, they would voluntarily return home. There would be no need to force them back or even to build any houses for them,” he said. 

 

“Thailand needs to talk to Myanmar and have Nay Pyi Taw ensure that the returnees can have a good life in their homeland.” 

 

Also, he said, the repatriation must be conducted on a voluntary basis. otherwise Thailand will be criticised heavily. 

 

The uncertain political direction among their elite has left the average Karen with fewer choices. Perhaps uncertainty is the only certainty as 71 years of struggle continue and whether they like it or not, they are in this together.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30364594

 

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-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-02-23

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1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

peace process in Myanmar has failed to deliver their hoped-for rights and land

What a shock.  Myanmar does not fail in failing or doing harm to its own people. 

 

For decades, we had all that wasted hope.  Lived near Burmese neighborhoods in Taiwan.  They all waited for that day when Aung San Suu Kyi would change the country.  She is a total failure

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9 hours ago, yellowboat said:

What a shock.  Myanmar does not fail in failing or doing harm to its own people. 

 

For decades, we had all that wasted hope.  Lived near Burmese neighborhoods in Taiwan.  They all waited for that day when Aung San Suu Kyi would change the country.  She is a total failure

I'm in my 5th year working and living in Burma - yes it is called Burma - Myanmar was a name forced upon the people by the army. It's still Myanmar on passports etc but most people call themselves Burmese not Myanmarese. Ma Suu Kyi is hamstrung to a large extent by the political arrangements with the army holding most key portfolios in Government. Thailand will be no different after the election I expect.

However the place is changing quite rapidly. Very recently it has been made possible for a foreign entity to set up business here with 100% ownership and no need for a local partner. And they are coming.

A lot of these local issues (Karen and others) are driven by certain individuals and groups for their own agenda and not for the benefit of the people they supposedly represent. There's a bit of a skirmish going on near the Chinese border as some old general who was sidelined for years has begun to flex his muscles for his own reasons/agenda and causing a few problems.

Don't try and compare Myanmar to other SEA nations - it is very different. It is also developing at quite an astonishing pace and hopefully will avoid the mistakes made by Thailand etc with regards to tourism. Quite a few beach resorts are being built but I doubt any of the broke Thailand expats will be welcomed. Or be able to afford it.

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On 2/23/2019 at 2:34 AM, Thailand Forever said:

Maybe if the Karens would stop fighting for a homeland within a sovereign country (Myanmar) it would go better for them.  They are little different than Islamists around the world fighting a holy war for their own territory.

I don't think Islamic extremists trying to terrorise the world into accepting an archaic version of Islam is a good analogy.

 

The borders and boundaries in this part of the world have always been moved around. During WW2 the Karens were encouraged to help the British in their fight with the Japanese and in return the would be given autonomy from Burma. However, when the war ended the British reneged on this promise and just gave Burma its independence. 

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