Going Home 2008 - 5th Brigade (Mutraw Dist.)

In 5th Brigade with the Officers from KNLA Northern 4 Brigades
(July 13 – 30, 2008)

5th Brigade is in Mutraw District of Kawthoolei. The place we were in was called Weh Gyi and was located by the River Salween. We traveled by a boat from Mae Sam Lap for four hours to get to Weh Gyi. It was also a place where the infamous Weh Gyi dam is to be built against the will of the local people, endangering the livelihood and the existence of all the people and living things in the area.

Going Home team was invited to lead a refresher course on Civilian and Military Administrations: accountability, transparency, and checks & balances, an initiative of the 5th Brigade as part of its short and long terms planning to restructure the Organization at district and brigade levels. Participants in this course were the officers from the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Brigades. The underlying goal of such course was to bring about a more systematic structure within the organization and to ensure checks and balances between orders of authority. With critical look into the current structure and state of the organization, we had so much vibrant and often heated discussions during our 2-day session. We learned that admitting to our own weaknesses and realizing our inabilities are necessary pains to go through if we are to better ourselves and our struggle. Some of the things that we discussed and learned during this 2-day session would be reflected in the outcomes of, at least, Mutraw District Congress which was held in mid-August 2008.

We would like to thank the Brigadier of 5th Brigade and all colleagues from 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Brigades – KNLA - for this important opportunity to share and learn from each other. Moreover, we would like to thank all of them for their steadfast understanding of our difficulties in trying to come back home. Although there was expectation that Going Home team would be bigger this year than 2007, we were sad to present them with yet again a small group. Though we as coordinators were disappointed, our hosts - our leaders and colleagues – were more understanding of and ever enduring the imperfect efforts we made.

While in the 5th Brigade, we had a chance to observe the commemoration of Karen National Defense Organization Day at the new training site with the Karen soldiers from Commandos School.

It was absolutely encouraging to meet with our officers and soldiers who are working hard, always bettering themselves, and positive-minded. Their energy and unfailing commitment give us hope for a better future even in the midst of all difficulties. But, we all are aware that to gain complete recognition of Karen State, freedom of our peoples, and to realize our rights to peace and prosperity must be a national effort and that it is not merely an effort can be made and achieved by a group of brave men and women. We feel deeply grateful that many of our peoples are making all kinds of enormous sacrifices to carry on the struggle of the Karen people, for a better future of the Karen people and for a peaceful Burma. But, we understand that we all as the people of Burma – Karens and non-Karens alike - have a stake in each other. The wellbeing of the Karens depends on the wellbeing of all others in Burma. We cannot deny that we will rise and fall together as one people, as one nation, in Burma.