Naw Mu Paw, a Karen woman from a small village in Karen State, Myanmar, lived a peaceful life until the conflict between the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Myanmar military shattered her world. One terrifying night, her village was bombarded by the military, forcing her family to flee into the wilderness. Tragically, her husband was fatally shot while protecting their children, leaving Naw Mu Paw to fend for her family in an unforgiving world. The military promised us peace, shaking hands and claiming the violence would stop, but their promises were lies.

Every day, Karen men, women, and children are tortured, shot, or bombed in their own villages. The land that was once our home is now littered with grenades, explosives, and mass graves. Entire Karen villages have been burned to the ground. Families are torn apart, fleeing into dense jungles, running for their lives. Pregnant women, children, and the elderly are shot or imprisoned, with many disappearing. The jungle, once a refuge, is now a prison. We have no food, water, or shelter. Grenades and landmines are everywhere. The military drops bombs indiscriminately, killing entire families and turning villages into rubble. We are forced to walk for miles, often stepping over the bodies of those who didn’t make it. Children walk barefoot, terrified and hungry, hiding in caves and under trees, hoping the military won’t find them.

The Burmese military has used Karen people as human shields for over 70 years and continue to be the world longest ongoing civil war with minimal media coverage and no one helping us. Women and girls are raped and murdered, while men are beaten and left to die. Over 200,000 Karen people are displaced, living in the jungle or overcrowded refugee camps, unable to return home. Despite the horror, the world remains silent. Our people are being killed and erased, and no one is listening.

One father recounted, “I saw the Burmese soldiers enter the village, shooting at people. My five-year-old son couldn’t run fast enough. The soldiers caught him, beat him to death, and threw his body into a burning house. When I went back, I found only his bones and his hand. How could this happen to us?”

The Karen people need the world to recognize our suffering, to call out this genocide, and to demand that the Burmese military stop its campaign of ethnic cleansing. We deserve to live in peace. We deserve justice. Please, help us. Sign the petition to bring attention to the genocide of the Karen people and ensure that the international community holds the Burmese military accountable for their war crimes.

We call on the United Nations Human Rights Council, ASEAN, and the International Criminal Court (ICC) to take immediate action against the Burmese military for the genocide and war crimes committed against the Karen people. We urge the U.S. and U.K. governments to impose sanctions and provide humanitarian aid to those affected.

 

How You Can Help the Karen People

The Karen people in Myanmar are facing brutal violence, displacement, and genocide. We need your help to amplify their voices and bring international attention to their plight. Here are some concrete ways you can make a difference:

1. Donate to Organizations on the Ground

There are several organizations actively providing humanitarian aid, medical assistance, and legal advocacy for the Karen people and other ethnic minorities in Myanmar. Your donations can help provide food, medical supplies, shelter, and safety for displaced families. You can donate to the following trusted organizations:

 - Karen Women’s Organisation (KWO): Donate to KWO

 - Provides support and advocacy for Karen women and children displaced by violence.

- Free Burma Rangers: Donate to Free Burma Rangers

- Delivers medical care, food, and documentation of human rights abuses in conflict zones.

- Refugees International: Donate to Refugees International

- Provides direct advocacy and aid for displaced persons in Myanmar.

- Doctors Without Borders (MSF): Donate to MSF

- Delivers emergency medical assistance in conflict areas.

2. Call on Global Leaders and Governments:

It’s crucial to put pressure on global governments to take action and hold the Burmese military accountable for their atrocities. Here’s how you can get involved:

- Contact your local representatives: Use platforms like 5Calls.org to find and contact your representatives. Demand they raise the Karen people’s issue in international forums like the United Nations and ASEAN.

- Sign petitions: Help push global organisations like the UN Human Rights Council to impose sanctions on the Burmese military and protect Karen civilians. Share and sign petitions, like the one you’re viewing now, to increase pressure.
 
- Call on the United Nations and ASEAN: Advocate for humanitarian corridors, sanctions on Myanmar’s military, and immediate intervention through campaigns like those run by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International.

3. Amplify the Message on Social Media:

Use your platform to spread the word about the Karen people’s suffering. The more people who know about the atrocities, the more likely global leaders are to take action.

- Use hashtags like #KarenLivesMatter, #StopGenocide, #HumanRights, and #MyanmarCrisis to join the conversation and bring more visibility to the Karen crisis.

- Tag influencers, celebrities, and human rights organisations like @humanrights1st, @AmnestyInternational, and @Refugees. Ask them to amplify the Karen people’s story.
 
- Share photos, videos, and stories that humanise the crisis, bringing the reality of the situation to the world’s attention.

4. Participate in Events and Protests:

Join or organize local or virtual protests to raise awareness and show solidarity with the Karen people. Many groups hold events that you can participate in to demand justice and raise funds.

- World Refugee Day (June 20th): A global day of action to support refugees, including the Karen. Share stories and attend local events to raise awareness.

- Human Rights Day (December 10th): Use this international day to spotlight the Karen people’s suffering and organize events that draw attention to their crisis.

- Look for local advocacy groups or Burmese diaspora organisations holding events in your area.

5. Contact Key Organisations Direct:

You can also write to or email key organisations and human rights groups to ask them to focus on the Karen people’s crisis.

- Human Rights Watch (HRW): Contact HRW

- Amnesty International: Contact Amnesty International

- UNHCR (The UN Refugee Agency): Contact UNHCR

6. Sign and Share This Petition:

Signing this petition is a key step in bringing attention to the Karen people. Share this petition with your friends, family, and networks to create a global movement for justice. The more signatures we collect, the stronger our voice becomes in demanding action from world leaders.