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Secret Genocide
Voices Of The Karen Of Burma
Daniel Pedersen
ISBN: 978-1-905379-62-0
54321
The paper used in this book comes from wood pulp of managed forests.
For every tree felled, at least one tree is planted, thereby renewing natural
resources.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
and the Irish Copyright libraries.
A c k now led g emen t s
T
his book would have proven impossible without
the assistance of my family, particularly my parents
Jack and Doreen, and the Mya family, particularly
the late Bo Mya and his sons, Nerdah and Tay Lay. To
them I offer my humble thanks.
For their help and faith throughout, I would like to
thank my wife Methinet and my friends Richard, John,
Kevin, Warwick, Jo, Myat Thu, and Steve and Am
Sandford.
I also offer many thanks for the tutelage I received from
those embroiled in this protracted conflict: Hellerpaw
Buhtoo, the late Mahn Sha, David Tharckabaw, Brigadier-
General Hsar Gay, and Chris.
3
Genocide D efined
T
he following is an extract from Resolution 260
(III) A of the United Nations General Assembly
on December 9, 1948, which officially came into
force on January 12, 1951:
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S ecre t Genocide
(a) Genocide;
(b) Conspiracy to commit genocide;
(c) Direct and public incitement to
commit genocide;
(d) Attempt to commit genocide;
(e) Complicity in genocide.
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The F our P rinciples of t he
k aren re volu t ion
T
he following are the four principles of the Karen
revolution, as laid down by Saw Ba U Gyi, the
first leader of the Karen Revolution:
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C hap t er O ne
I
n 1949, the Karen people first declared to the world
that they would defend themselves and their cultural
identity. Since then, man has walked on the moon,
television, internet and satellite technologies have become
part of everyday life, and Burma’s neighbours have taken
their place on the world’s economic stage. And still, the
Karen have not found their peace. Some would say the
modern world has bypassed the Karen people, while others
speculate they have become entrapped by it, cast as pawns
while the rest of the world establishes new economic and
political hierarchies.
In little bamboo huts hidden in the jungle, their
barefoot children are taught their language, rudimentary
mathematics, and history as the Karen know it. There is
no internet. There are mostly no telephones. Often, there
are no books. Sometimes, backpacking medics turn up
out of the blue and tend to festering bullet wounds and
chronic ailments, reminding the Karen that they have not
been completely forgotten about. At other times, however,
Burmese troops or their allied soldiers turn up and burn
down the Karen’s schools and churches, before turning
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S ecre t Genocide
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S ecre t Genocide
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S ecre t Genocide