Statement from Karen Communities WorldwideFor Immediate Release March 9th2010

Karen Communities Worldwide Call for Action to Stop Attacks on Civilians

Karen communities in 10 countries are joining forces for a global day of action on Tuesday 9thMarch, calling on the international community to take action to stop new attacks by the BurmeseArmy against Karen civilians. Since mid January more than 2,000 civilians have been forced to fleenew attacks.Villagers have been shot on sightA school has been mortar bombedOne villager has been beheadedMore than 80 homes have been destroyedSchools and health clinics have been burned downFood stocks being stolen and destroyedThe regime is stopping aid reaching people who are hiding in the jungle

Karen communities call for immediate practical action to stop the attacks.The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) must demand an immediate end to theattacks, which break international lawGovernments, including the European Commission, must provide funding for cross-borderaid, which is the only way to get food, medicine and shelter to those on the run from the newattacksThe United Nations (UN) should set up a Commission of Inquiry into war crimes and crimesagainst humanity committed by the dictatorship.

Karen people have been under attack for more than 60 years. The new wave of attacks is linked tothe Burmese dictatorship’s fake elections due later this year. The dictatorship is trying to crush allresistance forces to their rule. They are following the doctrine of the Burmese Army: ‘One Blood,One Voice, One Command’. The new constitution drafted by the dictatorship guarantees no rightsor protection to ethnic nationalities. In fact, it is a death sentence to ethnic diversity in Burma. Theinternational community must stop ignoring what is happening to ethnic peoples in Burma.We, the Karen Communities Worldwide, desire genuine democracy, peace and nationalreconciliation, but not military threats and attacks by the State Peace and Development Council(SPDC) army to destroy our homeland and our dreams for a peaceful federal Burma.Karen Communities in the United Kingdom, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Canada, the UnitedStates, Australia, Japan, Malaysia and Korea are coordinating the day of action, which is supportedby people from Burma and human rights groups.Contact:UK – Pa Saw Htee – Karen Community Association +447828168180Australia - Saw Lwin Oo, Australia Karen Organisation +61 4123 44009Canada – Mahn Kyaw Shwe, Karen Canadian Community +1519-434-0139Germany – Mahn Aung Lwin, Karen National Community Germany +491752433418Norway – Nan Kyi Aye, Karen community in Norway +4741847953USA – Stephen Dun, Karen American Communities Foundation +12062958553Korea – Saw Kenneth Moe, Karen Youth Organisation +821087147019