States and Divisions
Kayin State
Kayin State is an administrative division
of Myanmar and also known as Karen State. The capital city is
Pa-an.
The ethnic Karen is organised in a political wing, the Karen
National Union (KNU), and the army wing, Karen National
Liberation Army (KNLA).
The ethnic group of the Karen people in Myanmar were once
predominantly Christian, due to a historical relationship
between the Karen people and the British at a time when Burma
was a colony of Britain. At that time, most Karen converted to
Christianity; today, however, less than 30% of Karens are
Christians, the majority of Karen adhering to Buddhism and
spirit worship. Most Christian Karens are Baptists.
Because of religious differences and the local independence
movement, the ruling junta of Myanmar still suppresses the
people of the Karen very much today. It is reported that the
junta refuses to build schools, hospitals, or other kind of
public infrastructure in the region. It is also reported that
the military used to enter Karen villages, raping women,
killing children, and using the men as slaves to build
streets. They are also reported to steal food from the local
villagers, as the junta cannot even support their own soldiers
with simple supplies like guns, ammunition or meals.
Many Karen have joined the local guerrilla army to fight the
Burmese junta. However, the Karen are not the only ethnic
minority fighting the junta; there are many different rebel
armies that have been struggling for freedom. These guerrilla
armies are not, however, politically or strategically unified,
because of different religious beliefs, political stands,
social customs, and organisational structures.
|
Kayin State
|
| Capital |
Pa-an |
| Region |
South |
| Area |
30,383 km˛ |
| Population |
1,431,377 |
| Ethnicities |
Kayin, Padaung,
Bamar,
Shan, Pa-O, Mon, Rakhine |
| Religions |
Buddhism,
Christianity,
animism |
 |
|
|
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