In the early morning of the first sunrise of
the month of Thalay, (the first month in
the Karen calendar) people are awoken from their sleep by the sound of blowing horn that echoes in the valley through a loudspeaker. In that time we see that it was still dark outside, and a bit cold. A man speaking with a loudspeaker says “it is time to wake up and get ready to celebrate Karen New Year”. Many people gather together in the same place feeling excited, having smiles on their face and bless each other with wishes for a happy new year. In that time Karen people have a good day, meet with new friends and celebrate New Year together peacefully.
We will see daybreak. Children, women and men wearing different colours of Karen dresses that are very bright and pretty gather together in the same place. During the celebrations many grandparents and community leaders give speeches about the history of Karen New Year and give encouragement to the people, such as the new generation so they will know and remember their special day and culture. Karen New Year is important and all Karen people want to cerebrate it every year. In every place where there are Karen people living they strongly want to celebrate Karen New Year.
But the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), the Burmese military junta, conducts military offensives in Karen State, takes villagers’ land and people become internally displaced persons (IDPs). Many IDPs do not have any rights or opportunity to cerebrate Karen New Year and other cultural or religious holidays. Furthermore, grandparents and other people are worried that Karen children will not know the meaning behind these special days, or how to celebrate them.
...if the situation continues to worsen and never ends, the Karen culture will be extinct
The military junta’s attacks and human rights abuses against the ethnic groups, especially the Karen people, have impacted on cultural and religious celebrations. In Mutraw District, villagers had plans to celebrate sweet December (this holiday is celebrated on December 1st by Christians). But at 5:00pm on December 1st troops from the military government entered the village. The Burma army shot mortars and other long-distance artillery into the village and the villagers had to flee to the jungle.
These attacks also happen in other areas and at other times, not only around holidays. In Northern Karen State when the Burma Army attacks villagers have no warning and no time to gather food or supplies. Most villagers are unable to maintain their rice paddy farms because they feared additional attacks by the Burma army.
A villager from Mutraw District, Saw Ku Lu said that even though special days occur every year, the villagers do not have an opportunity to celebrate them. The military regime often builds army camps very close to IDPs’ abandoned villages and the villagers are afraid to return to their villages. After the army has built their camps, they launch attacks from these new bases, to control more land and establish a bigger military presence (more camps and troops). These attacks have become more frequent. Villagers who are hiding in the jungle always worry about food. Even if they believe in a celebration like Christmas day, other religious or cultural holiday, they have no time or are too afraid to celebrate.
Traditionally villages from one area will come together and celebrate cultural and religious holidays together. However, villagers have no opportunities to travel to other places and establish relationship with other villagers, because they are afraid of the SPDC soldiers, army bases and landmines. This is especially true for people who live in brown zones (the SPDC, armed opposition groups and people of Burma divide their territory into three zones: white, brown and black. White zones are controlled by the SPDC while armed opposition groups control black zones and both groups operate in brown zones). Most IDPs live in black zones and they are also unable to come together to celebrate holidays. When they are hiding in the jungle, they need to stay apart from each other in small groups of one or two families for security so that the SPDC does not find them. They cannot make any noise in case the soldiers may hear them. When IDPs are found by the SPDC the Burma army shoots long-distance artillery into the jungle where the villagers are hiding. By separating they save their lives.
Maintaining Karen culture is very important to the Karen people. However, it is difficult for the people, as they have been oppressed for a long time. People do not have the opportunity to practice their culture and traditions, learn their language and history and build relationships with other people. If people are free from violence, military attacks and oppression, they will have the opportunity to travel, to study ethnic cultures and languages, and to develop their communities and Karen culture will be preserved for the next generation. However, if the situation continues to worsen and never ends the Karen culture will be extinct. And if we lose our culture our nation loses its value.
To read the other articles in the February 2008 Newsletter please click on the links below:
...if the situation continues to worsen and never ends, the Karen culture will be extinct
