KNLA fighters during a march to the front Kawtholei Burma
1992 Burma has been torn by Civil war since the end of Colonial rule from the British. One of the largest ethnic groups is the Karen-people. For a long time they maintained their own state, Kawthoolei or Karen state, in the east of the country bordering Thailand. From its base in Manorplow the Karen National Union (KNU) and its armed wing the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) led the armed struggle. In the late eighties they were reinforced by Burmese refugees from the All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF) who escaped the crack down on the democracy movements. The failure of the different ethnic groups to unite led to great success for the junta in the mid 90´s. Today only a fraction of the KNLA remains active and many Karen's are living in Thailand as refugees. Other armed groups have struck deals with the military junta (SLORC) or entered the drug trade.
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Photo credit: © Bjorn Svensson / Alamy / Afripics
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