Saw C.Collar (Cross the Moon) 

My name is Saw C. Collar. C.Collar means “Cross the moon”. I was born in Rangoon (Burma) after the person of Yuri A. Gagarin went to the moon. Now I live in a Refugee Camp. I would like to tell about the Karen people and our situation.

Many people are still languishing in the corners of Burma Society and many find themselves in exile in our own land. For over 200 years the Karen are not free and sadly are still crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination.

Before 1949 our leader of General Saw Ba U Gyi struggled for freedom for the Karen state nonviolently. But the government didn't give independence. In 1949 the Karen National Union K.N.U) started a revolution.

Historically, the Karen people came from Mongolia and were the first to settle in the land of Burma. The Burmese came later. However, the Burmese have the largest population and the Karen are a minority.

Our forefathers were enslaved by the Burmese. Karen people are sincere and quiet people who didn't argue and fight. Slavery continues though force labors and arbitrary arrest. These are some reasons why people have gone to refugee camps.

The State Peace Development Council (S.P.D.C.) often used to divide and force rule. The Karen have been divided by the S.P.D.C. many times. It has destroyed our unity and also separated our religions of Christianity and Buddhism. .In 1995 the Democratic Karen Baddish Army (D.K.B.A.) separated from the K.N.U. by the S.P.D.C. This group negotiated with the S.P.D.C. who usually attacked our KNU, destroyed the village, rice paddies, houses, churches, killed and also burned down the Refugee Camp on the Thai Border. Our strength is less and less but our spiritual is more and more bigger.

Now the Karen need to know how to struggle through nonviolence again. This problem need to help solve the problem in Burma we need international pressure especially through economic situation.

Australia is a peaceful country. So they are helping to teach the S.P.D.C. about human rights. This is one step to help and solve the problem.

The Karen are known for solving problem through nonviolence and to dialogue with the assistance of a third party.

One day I can go home because of the peace is nearly in my dream.