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President Saw Bo Mya's Speech on 49th Anniversary of Resistance Day
January 31, 1998

	On this Anniversary Day of our Resistance, firstly, I would like extend
the warmest greetings and best wishes to all the Karen people, near and far.
	We, the Karen people, have to start the resistance because of genocidal
attacks against Karen civilians by the enemy, in response to the Karen
people's peaceful demand for their rights. It was the racist chauvinists'
plan to subjugate all the ethnic nationalities by force, including the
Karen people, and keep them under their oppressive domination, as slaves
and vassals. 
The KNU, led by President Saw Ba U Gyi, decided that the Karen people must
strive for a land of their own so that they would have complete rights to
develop as a people and escape from racial persecution. Accordingly,
President Saw Ba U Gyi submitted the Karen people's demand for a state and
their rights to the AFPFL government, led by U Nu, and had a number of
negotiations. However, peaceful negotiations did not make much progress and
there were accusations that the Karen were making impossible demands.
Meanwhile, armed attacks with extreme atrocities against Karen civilians,
by troops of the People's Comrade Party and the Communist Party, started.
In view of the genocidal attacks, the KNU had to get the permission of the
AFPFL government to set up a Karen militia force, the Karen National
Defense Organization (KNDO). On the other hand, the AFPFL set up a militia
known as the People's Volunteer Force as a counter balance. 
	The negotiations between the KNU and the AFPFL government broke down as U
Nu finally told Saw Ba U Gyi that not an inch of land would be given and
that the Karen could start a war if they wanted a state. The peaceful
demands of the KNU were reduced into four points, namely: "Give Karen State
at once; Give us equality; We don't want communal strife; We don't want
civil war." While the Karen people's peaceful demands were ignored, attacks
against Karen civilians in the Irrawaddy delta and Tanessarim division
increased, as the year 1948 wore on. Finally, the Karen community in
Rangoon as well as in Insein, where the KNU headquarters was situated, came
under attacks. Peaceful attempts by the KNU to stop the attacks were to no
avail. Thus there was no alternative for the KNU but to lead the armed
resistance of the Karen people that started on the 31st of January 1949.
	The racist chauvinists are still using armed suppression and attacks, with
the hope of subjugating the Karen people. They have used various means,
including religion, to divide and weaken us. Some of us were misled by the
enemy's deceits and sided with the enemy. 
Dear Karen People,
	Be always alert against the enemy's deceits and machinations. Do not let
yourselves fall into the enemy's trap. Build up unity together among the
Karen people and rally under the flag of the KNU. Strive on with courage
and unity, until the freedom of the Karen people is achieved. 
	Remember the motto of the KNU - "Unity is Strength."  
                            -end of text-