| Written by Nyar Moe | |
| Thursday, 22 June 2006 |
Karenni people observed the 131st Karenni National Day in a liberated area in Karenni State on June 21.
Over 5,000 people including Kayah, Kayan, Kayaw, Paku, Shan, Pa-O and other ethnic groups participated in the ceremony organized on the 131st Karenni National Day. Leaders of the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and students also took part in the event.
Major Aung Myat, a senior member of KNPP, said he was happy at the chance to celebrate and mark the Karenni National Day in a liberated area. However, many Karenni people do not know about their National Day, nor do they have a chance to celebrate it.
“People don’t know what Karenni National Day is. We observe Karenni National Day so that the students, new generations and people can be made aware about it and realize that Karenni State used to be an independent country. We saw that more people participated because they got to know about it from historical evidence,” said Aung Myat.
A Kayah woman participant said, “I’m happy and sad at the same time. I am happy because we can observe the Karenni National Day. But it is difficult for people inside the country to celebrate. I’ll be happier when people inside can celebrate.”
Only after familiarity with the history will a person feel the national spirit, said a Karenni leader at the ceremony.
At the ceremony, the history of the Karenni National Day and messages from different Karenni tribes were read. Participants were entertained with traditional dances, songs and football matches.
The celebration was concluded with slogans like, “Karenni national solidarity, national sovereignty, loss of Burmese military junta’s colonization and Karenni resistance must win.”
On June 21, 1875, Sir Douglas Forsyth, a representative of the Imperial British government, and Kin Wong Mingyi, on behalf of King Mindon, signed an agreement approving the independence of Karenni State.
June 21 is recognized as Karenni National Day and every June 21, Karenni people in liberated areas hold the ceremony to observe the day.
