Who Are the Karen?
The Karen (Kayin, Kariang) are a diverse ethnolinguistic group numbering 5-7 million across Myanmar (4-5 million) and Thailand (500,000+), with refugee populations in the US, Australia, and elsewhere. They speak multiple Karen languages (Sgaw, Pwo, and others) of the Tibeto-Burman family. The Karen comprise numerous subgroups with varying traditions, religions (Buddhist, Christian, animist), and dialects. In Myanmar, Karen have fought Asia's longest-running civil war—from 1949 to present—seeking autonomy or independence from the Bamar-dominated state. This conflict has displaced millions and created major refugee populations.
The Longest War
The Karen National Union (KNU) has fought Myanmar's government since 1949—the world's longest-running civil war. At independence, Karen leaders expected autonomy or a separate state (Kawthoolei); instead, they faced centralized Burman rule and then military dictatorship. The conflict has seen periods of intense fighting, temporary ceasefires, and humanitarian catastrophe. Hundreds of thousands were displaced; Thai refugee camps held over 100,000 at peak. The KNU's armed wing (KNLA) has controlled substantial territory at times. A 2012 ceasefire brought fragile peace, but the 2021 coup and military atrocities have reignited conflict. Karen seek federalism and self-determination.
Long Neck Karen
The Padaung (Kayan Lahwi), a small Karen subgroup, are internationally known for women's brass neck coils that elongate the appearance of the neck. Beginning in childhood and adding rings over years, the coils don't actually stretch the neck but push down collar bones and ribs. Once a mark of beauty and identity, the practice became a controversial tourist attraction—women in Thailand displayed in "human zoos." Debates continue over exploitation versus cultural preservation; some women choose coils, others reject them. The focus on Padaung risks obscuring the broader Karen population's diversity and struggles.
Christianity and Identity
American Baptist missionaries converted many Karen beginning in the 1820s, creating a distinctive Christian Karen identity. Missionaries developed Karen script, education, and literature. Christian Karen were prominent in the colonial administration, creating post-independence tensions with Buddhist Burmans. Today, perhaps 25-35% of Karen are Christian, 60% Buddhist, the rest animist. Christian Karen have been disproportionately involved in the independence movement and international advocacy. Religious difference from Buddhist Burmans has both strengthened Karen distinctiveness and complicated relations. How Karen balance religious diversity within ethnic unity remains ongoing.
Contemporary Karen
The 2021 Myanmar coup devastated progress toward peace. Military attacks, including airstrikes on civilians, displaced tens of thousands more. Karen State remains unstable; the KNU and PDF (People's Defense Force) resistance cooperate against the junta. The large refugee and diaspora population maintains transnational Karen identity. In Thailand, Karen face citizenship issues, land pressures, and assimilation. The future depends on Myanmar's trajectory—federal democracy (Karen demand), continued military rule, or state collapse. How Karen achieve self-determination while navigating ongoing conflict and displacement defines their uncertain future.
References
- Smith, M. (1999). Burma: Insurgency and the Politics of Ethnicity
- Thawnghmung, A. M. (2008). The Karen Revolution in Burma: Diverse Voices, Uncertain Ends
- Rajah, A. (2008). Remaining Karen: A Study of Cultural Reproduction and the Maintenance of Identity