Nearly 600 people celebrated the 56th
anniversary of Karen Martyr’s day at
the Karen National Union battalion 101 military base, Nyar Lee Ah Tak territory, T Nay Hsar township, Pa’ An district, Burma; which is around 5 kilometres away from the Thai-Burma border, on August 12, 2006.
Many people from different places such as the refugee camps in Thailand, Mae Sot town, Thailand, Japan, England, France, Norway and USA, participated in the 56th anniversary celebration ceremony of Karen martyr’s day in the military base to mark this honorable day together with a military honour guard, soldiers and civilians.
Martyr’s Day marks the anniversary of the death of the Saw Ba Oo Gyi, the KNU president, and several of his friends, all high ranking leaders of the KNU, who were killed in the rice field while they were sleeping in a farm-hut near Toe Kaw Koe village, Kaw T’rik Township, Dooplaya district on August 12 1950. Burmese soldiers surrounded the group while they were sleeping and demanded they surrender. When Saw Ba Oo Gyi and his friends refused, fighting broke out. All the KNU leaders were killed except Saw Ba Oo Gyi, who was taken, tortured, dragged along the road and killed later that day.
Since that day, martyr’s day was started to mark all KNU leaders, soldiers, Karen villagers and people who have fallen fighting against war and persecution. Martyr’s day does not mean that only Karen soldiers were dead in the war, but also villagers, innocent people, who have died as a result of the war. Their tragic deaths do not go unnoticed as people still remember, respect and admire their sacrifice. The Karen community also remembers the family members of those who have died who are still facing many difficulties.
It is also a celebration of the survival of the Karen people. Since the first Karen Martyr’s day 56 years ago, tens of thousands of people have become causalities of the Burmese junta’s war against the Karen people. This day inspires Karen patriots to follow in their heroes’ footsteps and fight for what they believe in.
Mostly, the Karen martyr’s day celebration ceremony goers in this area wore traditional Karen clothes, except for the soldiers, several foreigners and primary students (the students were wearing school uniforms). However, all of these attendees were very excited to be here to mark the special day for Karen people in Burma. For some attendees it was the first time they had been to Karen State and their first experience included seeing the Karen community celebrating a very special day.
Most people who came from Mae Sot, Umphiem refugee camp, Mae La refugee camp and several foreigners were transported to the territory without charge. To get to the celebrated place, all the ceremony goers had to first get into the car and travel to the border and secondly into a boat to cross the river. It is around one hour to drive from Mae Sot town to the Thai-Burma border.
At this ceremony, around 30 widows whose husbands had been lost in the war were offered special gifts and garlanded with a colorful decoration strips. These widows, whose husbands were all solders in battalion 101, are still loyal to their dead husbands, heroes who have been gone for many decades - gone to the paradise of the after life. They still hold onto the same stance and belief of their husbands that always inspire them not to be a slave to the Burmese troops.
At the ceremony battalion 101 deputy commander Saw Tha Sua addressed the people at the ceremony. He told audience that the sacrifice of the dead soldiers and their wives will never be forgotten in Karen history. Saw Tha Sua encouraged the families of soldiers who had died to stay committed to the goals and beliefs that their loved ones had fought for.
According to one soldier, the widows were so happy that they cried; because they saw that a number of their dead husbands’ comrades are still committed to fighting for their nation. To the soldier it seemed that they were proud of their dead husbands.
During this ceremony there was a marching honour guard, three celebratory bombs were exploded, the Karen national flag was hoisted and the Karen national song was sung. This made me feel disappointed and I cried, as I had noticed that there is a responsibility remaining on me to sacrifice my life for not only my people, but also for all ethnic people who have been the victims of war and oppression over 50 years, as long as I survive in this world.
To go to the other articles published in the August 2006 BI Newsletter click on the links below:
