The KSWDC works on target groups and areas such as communities in the IDP areas, communities join in the refugee camps ( Thai- Karenni border ), and Karenni social societies.
Karenni Mine Risk Education ( KMRE) is one programs of KSWDC. When Burma got independence since 1948, at the same time the civil war has been occurred until today. Extensive use of landmine by both military junta and non-state armed groups had been seen due to their use in Burma’s civil war.
Inside KarenniState, landmines are using in common places by SPDC’s armed force as the reasons of security and plants unlimited landmine and left it although nearly by villages.
Karenni people are suffering and strive in difficulties from the effects of landmine. Unlimited planted landmine by SPDC, resulting various unwanted ills such as losing lives and limbs, together with various ill effects. Furthermore, thousand of Karenni People had driven into the state of various severe difficulties and hundreds of people had been killed. Landmine is not short term dangerous issue but also can affect people live in the future. Landmine can harm people live both current and future.
Based on current situation and condition, (6) KSWDC members, together with some KNPP personnel had been formed Karenni Mine Risk Education Group in 2006, to collect relevant data(facts and figures). KMRE provides the local Karenni people as target inside KarenniState with necessary knowledge about risk of landmine, collect mine victims data, provide them needed assistance, and mark out dangerous sites in the Karenni.
Burma attained independence from the colonial British in 1948. Since then, it was under consecutive rule of the authoritarian governments of the AFPFL, BSPP, SLORC and SPDC today. The situation on all fronts had turned for the worst during the rule of the authoritative BSPP until today’s brutal SPDC regime.
The indigenous ethnics had made a call to reclaim their long-lost self-determination and administrative status at the advent of the independence. But since the AFPFL government made no concession to their claim, they each took up arms against the central governments till today, which had covered well over (55) years. This is the summary factor of indigenous multi-ethnics armed resurrection in Burma.
Due to the civil conflicts, the military authoritarian troops ruthlessly executed extensive suppressions on innocent ethnic civilians, such as extortions, forced labor, arbitrary detentions, persecutions, rapes, summary executions etc. These human rights violations are common practice and widespread throughout the country and especially in the ethnics areas where defenseless local residents have to suffer vicious experiences to the extreme.
Moreover, the authoritarian military, with vested interest to perpetuate their power and personal interest, had constructed industrial and development projects ostensibly for the border area development, and also by deploying infantry battalions in the rural areas; local residents were forced to move from their villages to the prescribed relocation sites.
Consequently, thousands of civilians were forced to abandon their villages and farms as the result of the authoritarian regime’s human rights violations and forced relocation programs. These IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) are currently subjected to various difficulties and miseries. They are deprived of life’s basic needs such as food and shelter, healthcare, education, and security; subsequently their future life condition is most precarious.
In 1996, the SPDC forcefully displaced over (150) Karenni villages to the relocation sites. As the result, thousands of villagers were driven to excruciating distress, hundreds of them died in the process. The main problems they faced were that of depression, death from starvation, death from illness without medicine and proper treatments. These conspicuous practical events in the Karenni region and on ground of specific current circumstances, the inception of the KSWDC took place in June 1996 to alleviate the miseries and sufferings of the Karenni people and to orientate them to more positive future.
The mass populace in the Karenni, with consolidated democratic force, will take up peaceful co-existence in harmony with Burma as well as the international community.
The KSWDC firmly believe that, in consolidation with the mass populace, it will obstruct the development projects and industries, which only serve the interest of the authoritarian regime, and by constructing economic and democratic systems free from exploitation, a peaceful and prosperous Karenni state will emerge.
