By Alex Ellgee
Burma’s ruling junta may be receiving praise overseas for its apparent tilt toward democracy. But will the Karen people be won over?
Standing at the back of a recent Karen National Union press conference, held in Hpa’an state, Burma, Saw Hla Way says he finds it hard to believe the government has good intentions.
“I was just a child when I had to run away from the Burmese army, we lost everything,” he says finishing a cigar. “After everything I’ve been through, how can I believe that they want to finally find peace with the Karen people?”
The same sentiment is echoed throughout the refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border, KNU offices and Karen diaspora across the world. Despite the concerns, the Karen National Union and its military wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), have begun initial ceasefire talks with the Burmese regime. Having fought against the government since the British left in 1948, with thousands dying on both sides, many hope this will be the beginning of a durable peace. But they remain skeptical after so many failed attempts before.
The first meeting between the KNU / KNLA leaders and the Burmese government was held on January 12 in Hpa-an town. At the meeting, they agreed to stop all hostilities towards each other, and to meet again within 45 days. Speaking about the meeting, David Htaw, a KNU representative at the meeting, told The Diplomat, “We noticed a change in the way the government is dealing with the ethnic problem.”
“We can’t be sure, but we hope this time we can achieve a long lasting ceasefire,” he says.
Read the full story at The Diplomat