Who Are the Karen?
The Karen (Kayin, Kariang) are an ethnolinguistic group inhabiting the hills and lowlands of eastern Myanmar (Burma) and western Thailand, numbering approximately 7-8 million, mostly in Myanmar. They speak Karen languages, part of the Tibeto-Burman family, with three main branches (Sgaw, Pwo, Pa'O) and many dialects. "Karen" encompasses diverse subgroups with different languages, religions (Buddhist, Christian, animist), and histories. The Karen have been engaged in one of the world's longest-running armed conflicts—the Karen insurgency against the Myanmar government has continued since 1949. This conflict has driven hundreds of thousands into refugee camps in Thailand and created substantial diaspora communities worldwide.
Diversity Within Unity
The Karen are not a single homogeneous group but multiple related peoples united by linguistic connection and, increasingly, shared political identity forged through conflict. The Sgaw Karen are the largest subgroup, traditionally hill farmers practicing swidden agriculture. The Pwo Karen inhabit lower elevations and river valleys. The Pa'O (Taungthu) live further north in Shan State. The Kayah (Karenni) are sometimes considered separate. Religion varies dramatically: some Karen practice Buddhism like lowland Burmese; others converted to Christianity through Baptist and Catholic missionaries (Christianity became associated with Karen nationalism); many maintain animist traditions. Traditional Karen society is organized by villages, with leadership based on age, wisdom, and spiritual authority rather than hereditary chiefs.
The Karen Conflict
The Karen insurgency is among the world's longest-running civil wars. Karen nationalist organizations, particularly the Karen National Union (KNU) and its armed wing (KNLA), have fought the Myanmar government since 1949—originally seeking independence, later autonomy. The conflict intensified after Burma's 1962 military coup. Myanmar military (Tatmadaw) campaigns in Karen areas have been marked by systematic human rights violations—village burning, forced labor, rape, extrajudicial killings—documented by international organizations. The "Four Cuts" counterinsurgency strategy aimed to deprive insurgents of food, funds, recruits, and information by targeting civilian populations. These campaigns displaced hundreds of thousands, filling refugee camps in Thailand (Mae La camp alone held over 40,000). Peace negotiations have produced partial ceasefires but no comprehensive settlement.
Contemporary Karen
Modern Karen are divided between those remaining in Myanmar, those in Thai refugee camps (some for over 30 years), and growing diaspora communities in the US, Australia, Europe, and elsewhere. Inside Myanmar, the 2021 military coup ended cautious political opening and intensified conflict in Karen areas, with renewed military offensives and civilian displacement. In Thailand, long-term refugees face uncertain futures—some resettled abroad, others repatriated, many remaining in limbo. Resettled Karen abroad navigate cultural transition while maintaining community. Karen New Year (celebrated in January) brings communities together globally. Weaving remains important, with distinctive Karen textiles marking cultural identity. The Karen experience illustrates the humanitarian costs of prolonged ethnic conflict and the challenges of statelessness and displacement.
References
- Rajah, A. (2008). Remaining Karen: A Study of Cultural Reproduction and the Maintenance of Identity
- South, A. (2011). Burma's Longest War: Anatomy of the Karen Conflict
- Thawnghmung, A. M. (2012). The "Other" Karen in Myanmar