01 October 2007
A Joint Statement of Civic Grassroots Organizations of the Karenni (Kayah) State on the Protests of the Monks and People inside Burma We, the civic grassroots organizations of Karenni (Kayah) State, express our strongest support for solidarity and unity with the movement of revered monks, students and fellow citizens of Burma and their peaceful expression of and protests over the hardships and myriad of problems in Burma. Decades of mismanagement of the country's economy by the military rulers caused Burma to be designated by the United Nations as among the poorest nations in the world, while Burmese people suffer oppression and egregious human rights violations under the military dictatorship.
The military regime has persistently suppressed revered monks, students and civilians alike, who peacefully demand an end to military dictatorship and emergence of a government democratically elected by the people, branding the latter as the enemies of the people. In the States of other ethnic nationalities, the military government has consistently committed arbitrary arrests and summary execution, killed innocent civilians, and burned their villages to deprive them of shelter.
Revered monks and civilians who have been staging peaceful protests since the past few weeks to demand the fall of fuel prices and a tripartite dialog are again suppressed brutally through the use of arms. Because of a handful of generals, intent on hanging onto power, the blood of innocent civilians and revered monks has been spilled. As long as the military dictators remain in power, Burma will continue to spiral into poverty and monastic communities and civilians will continue to suffer oppression and repression. Therefore, a change in Burma needs to be brought about as a matter of urgency and if not, the future generations of Burmese people will be destined to suffer the same fate as ours under a handful of generals.
Therefore, WE, the civic grassroots organizations of Karenni (Kayah) State would like to express our solidarity with, and admiration to, the courageous monks, students and fellow citizens of Burma who are putting their lives at risk to protest against the government to bring about change. We would, therefore, like to express our conviction in this Statement that the current movement of our revered monks and fellow citizens will lead us to the path toward a dialog that will truly foster national reconciliation and freedom from poverty, desired by the people of Burma.
On behalf of the People of Karenni (Kayah) State, WE further demand State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) that it:
- Immediately end the violent suppression of the peaceful demonstrations and allow freedom of expression for the people of Burma;
- Immediately and unconditionally release the monks and the people as well as the political prisoners who are arrested for exercising their freedom of expression;
- Make commodity prices affordable to the vast majority of the people;
- Find a political solution to the problems of Burma through a tripartite dialog as soon as possible;
- Immediately stop all efforts and cease all the operations to dam Than Lwin (Salween) River.
Civic grassroots organizations of Karenni (Kayah) State are:
Karenni Social Welfare and Development Center (KSWDC)
Karenni Document Center (KDC)
Karenni National Women Organization (KNWO)
Karenni Student Union (KSU)
Karenni National Youth Organization (KNYO)
Karenni Ever Green (KEG)
Karenni Computer Education Institute (KCEI)
Karenni Mobile Medical Team (KMMT)
Karenni Religion, Culture Development Committee (KRCDC)
Kayan Women Union-Thailand (KyWU-T)
Contact Information
Moe Moe Aung
089 957 1867
