Myanmar ready to welcome Karen<\/p>\n
I congratulate Mr. Robert Birsel (Reuters) on his recent
\nreport (The Jakarta Post, Dec. 22, 1994) on the Karen National
\nUnion (KNU) mutiny. It is a balanced report, although only KNU
\nrebels were interviewed.<\/p>\n
I wish to emphasize again that the KNU is fighting neither for
\nautonomy nor democracy. Following the Aung San-Atlee Agreement
\n(January 1947) to grant Burma Independence, the British
\nAdministration held the first ever democratic elections in Burma
\n(April 1947) under their supervision to elect the Constituent
\nAssembly which would determine Burma's democratic (Federal-Union)
\nfuture for all its citizens.<\/p>\n
The KNU refused to participate in the elections. They then
\nwrote an appeal to the British government to grant them
\nindependence as a separate Nation. However, the larger Karen
\nfaction affiliated with the Anti Fascists Peoples Freedom League
\n(AFPFL) led by General Aung San and U Nu, participated in the
\nelections and, together with the AFPFL, won by a landslide
\n(Burma: by Dr. Silverstein, Cornell University, 1959).<\/p>\n
During one term of U Nu's government, a Karen, Mahn Win Maung,
\nwas the President of the Union of Burma. Another Karen, General
\nSmith-Dun, was the first Commander-in-Chief of the Burma Army.<\/p>\n
Whatever the past extremes of the KNU movement, or the grave
\nand violent disunity amongst themselves today, my government
\nremains patiently ready to welcome them back in a deeply sincere
\nspirit of National reconciliation and peace, to work together to
\nbuild a prosperous and democratic Myanmar.<\/p>\n
U NYI NYI THAN<\/p>\n
Ambassador<\/p>\n
Myanmar Embassy<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/myanmar-ready-to-welcome-karen-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }