Media Release from the Australian Karen Organisation

15 June 2009

Thousands of Karen civilians are fleeing the Burmese Army's attack in the Karen State (eastern Burma). The international community and Australian Government must act.

The Australian Karen Organisation members and activists will assemble to protest against Burmese military attacks; outside the Burmese Embassy by 12 noon on 19th June 2009 in Canberra. Your support is important for us to save thousands of civilian lives in Burma.

The Australian Karen Organisation calls on the international community and the Australian government to take urgent action as more than 50,000 Karen civilians flee from the recent attack of the Burmese Army.

On the 3rd of June 2009, Lerporher, a camp for internally displaced people, which was formed in 1984 in the Karen State inside Burma, was shelled by artillery fire from the Burmese Army, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). Civilians had to flee for their lives, taking flight in the rain. Within two days (3-4 June) over 2,000 Karen people in the area had crossed to Thailand; that number has since raised to 3,500, as over 1,000 Burmese Army soldiers attacked and moved into the area.

Currently the SPDC are conducting other major military operation in Toungoo, Klerlwetu provinces and also around Maethawor areas, (villages on the border with Thailand), shelling Karen villages and Internally Displaced Persons camps. At present over 50,000 Karen civilians have to flee from their native villages and became refugees within Karen State inside Burma, for fear of being caught up in the fighting or used for slave labour.

The AKO welcomes the statement by the European Union of 11th June 2009, and strongly supports its calling on the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to refrain from seeking military solutions against ethnic minorities, and to respect international humanitarian and human rights law

The Australian Karen Organisation therefore calls on the UN intervention, and the international community to work for these goals, rather than accepting the scheme being perpetrated by the SPDC.


Central Committee
Australian Karen Organisation