Dear All Karen Nationals,
Comrade Officers and Men,

Today, the 31st of January, is the 58th Anniversary of Karen people’s war of revolutionary resistance. As the cause of the Karen is a political one, Karen national leaders had tried to resolve the problem peacefully by political means. However, as the ruling AFPFL government used military attacks to wipe out the Karen people’s movement, the armed resistance of the Karen People had arisen inevitably.

The Karen national leaders have met with successive military regimes in power in order to resolve the problem peacefully by political means, on several occasions. However, as the resolution of problem peacefully by political means has not been successful, we still cannot struggle out of the war situation. The Karen people have been consistently calling for the resolution of problems politically through tripartite dialogue, as the cause of the Karen people, the cause of the various ethnic nationalities and that of the democratic forces as well, are basically political. We firmly believe that as all those questions are political, resolving them politically is the only correct way. However, we have to inevitably carry on our armed resistance in self-defense, so long as we do not get the chance to meet and negotiate to resolve the problems politically. Events in the 58 years war of resistance have clearly shown the enemy that political problems cannot be resolved by militarily bullying for annihilation. For that reason, the Karen people are calling earnestly for meaningful negotiation and peaceful resolution, in practice.

So long as armed conflict is not ceased and there is no political negotiation, in practice, the Karen people will have to continue their resistance war in self-defense, in order to be able to determine their own destiny, for equality and democracy, and for the establishment of a genuine federal union. On the other hand, we must continue to endeavor for resolution of problems politically and meaningful dialogue to take place. For that reason, the entire Karen people must be politically alert and all the comrade officers and men of the KNLA must be militarily alert in order to protect our very own existence. We must uphold steadfastly the “Four Principles of Saw Ba U Gyi” and be active politically and militarily.

While the KNU is endeavoring with correct aim and intention of resolving political problems justly, we must be alert especially to attempts to sow dissension within the ranks of Karen revolution and among the Karen people. It is necessary for us to oppose all acts of destroying unity and unite under the policies and programs laid down by the KNU 13th Congress and the KNU leadership.

In conclusion, I would like to earnestly urge all of you to uphold firmly the political stand that the “Karen people shall decide their own political destiny”, to maintain the unity of the entire Karen revolution and Karen people, to join hands with fellow revolutionary forces and to struggle on with determination under the leadership of the KNU, until victory is achieved.  

January 31, 2007