Address of KNU President Saw Tamlabaw on 60th Anniversary of Martyrs Day - KNU

11 Aug 2010

Dear KNU Leaders, Comrades and all the People,

Today is the 60th anniversary of Martyrs Day and it is an august day for all the Karen people. On this special occasion, I wish you all to have good health and vigor and to be free from all dangers.

Today is a day for remembering and honoring Saw Ba U Gyi, Gen. Sanky, all the officers and
soldiers, and the people, who have sacrificed their lives for the liberation of the entire Karen people from oppression under the military dictatorship. The existence of patriotic leaders, soldiers and persons who are loyal to the Karen nation is reason for the Karen people to be proud of enormously. We hold ceremonies on this day to remind ourselves to be faithful to the martyrs, who have sacrificed their lives, and to fight on until victory is achieved.

In the 61 years of the Karen people’s revolutionary resistance, though many leaders, gallant soldiers and civilians, comprising of men and women, have sacrificed their lives, we still have not reached our goal. We must continue our struggle until we reach our final goal. The KNU maintains the position of resolving political problems by political means and it believes in and upholds the four-point political doctrine laid down by Saw Ba U Gyi. However, the SPDC continues to practice the military dictatorship based on chauvinism and oppressive rule against the ethnic nationalities.

Dear leaders, Soldiers and the Entire Karen People,

Today, as we are still in the time of revolutionary resistance, it is necessary for all able bodied men and women to be involved collectively and with unity in the struggle for reaching our ultimate goal. Unity of the entire Karen people is the principal key to reaching our goal. The basis of unity of the entire Karen people is to fight against the criminal scheme to eliminate the Karen people and their identity, the system of military dictatorship and chauvinism, which are enemy of the entire Karen people.

The 2010 election the SPDC is going to hold is for legitimizing the rule of military dictatorship. As it is not to be held in accordance with the democratic norms and standard, it will bring no changes to the political situation of Burma.

Since the Karen revolutionary resistance is a just and legitimate resistance preventing adversity from falling on the Karen people, it is necessary for the entire Karen people to participate and cooperate in accordance with principles and policies laid down by the KNU. So long as there is no transformation from the system of military dictatorship to the democratic system, we the ethnic nationalities will not have their rights of equality, freedom and self-determination.

On this august day, I urge all of you – officers, soldiers and all the Karen people around the world - to struggle on together, in unity with fellow ethnic nationalities and the democratic forces, according to the principles, policies and programs laid down by the KNU, its leadership and according to the spirit, belief and the path laid down by the martyrs until federal democracy is achieved.