Traditionally, the Karen are a people group who moved south from Mongolia and settled in what is now called Burma or Myanmar around 750 BC.
Over sixty-five years ago, when Burma gained its independence, the Karen became the target of ethnic cleansing by Burma's ruling military, which perpetrated the systematic destruction of their villages.
In response, the Karen launched a guerilla war. Since then, the country has been in constant conflict, making this the longest running civil war in history.
Within the past 15 years, other people groups in Burma, also targeted by the ruling military have been exterminated. However, the Karen have survived and even thrived. A group of them migrated to Albany, NY, my home city about six years ago, where I got to meet them.
Recently, a friend of mine closely associated with the Karen in Albany shared with me the following story: A group of Karen were observing a stray book on a coffee table entitled, “The Vanishing Tribes of Burma.” After a while they discussed amongst themselves, then came to her and said: “we refuse to vanish.”
This conviction has been and remains a running theme throughout the history of the Karen.
Over sixty-five years ago, when Burma gained its independence, the Karen became the target of ethnic cleansing by Burma's ruling military, which perpetrated the systematic destruction of their villages.
In response, the Karen launched a guerilla war. Since then, the country has been in constant conflict, making this the longest running civil war in history.
Within the past 15 years, other people groups in Burma, also targeted by the ruling military have been exterminated. However, the Karen have survived and even thrived. A group of them migrated to Albany, NY, my home city about six years ago, where I got to meet them.
Recently, a friend of mine closely associated with the Karen in Albany shared with me the following story: A group of Karen were observing a stray book on a coffee table entitled, “The Vanishing Tribes of Burma.” After a while they discussed amongst themselves, then came to her and said: “we refuse to vanish.”
This conviction has been and remains a running theme throughout the history of the Karen.