Karen National League
Karen Around the World Unite!

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Karen National League (KNL) was formed at the Second International Karen Youth Conference held on December 22-26, 1997 in Ottawa, Canada. KNL defines its main policy objective, characteristics and beliefs as follows.

Our Policy Objective

The fundamental aim of Karen National League (KNL) is to contribute as a leading international Karen organization to the struggles of the Karen people for ethnic equality, freedom and democracy. This includes developing the consciousness of the solidarity among ourselves, making our national struggles better known domestically and internationally, and most importantly, fostering effective cooperation between Karen people (border, internal and international) and with other democratic movements.

In pursuit of the above noble objective, Karen National League (KNL) recognizes, supports and cooperates with any individual or organization that helps liberate and develop the Karen people and bring about democracy to Burma. KNL shall at each given moment creatively adopt appropriate tactics that will help achieve its objective. In this time of difficulties for the Karen people, KNL will seek to expand and deepen the cooperation with all the democratic organizations critical to our national liberation.

Characteristics of KNL

KNL is a product of a given historical period. It is formed to advance the Karen people in the struggle for freedom, ethnic equality and democracy. Driving its approach to struggle is the fundamental national contradiction represented by the oppression of ethnic people. The factors that help shape the character of the KNL as a truly progressive national movement is its cooperation and interaction with other democratic and liberation movements within the country and all over the world. KNL is not an armed organization. Nor will it by any means engage in any armed activity.

At this stage, we define ourselves as a struggle for national development and a movement for the advancement of democratic principles and ideals within Burma. Therefore, it is our strategic objective to help build a democratic society within a genuine union in which all the ethnic nationalities can live in harmony on the basis of political, economic and social equality.

Our Beliefs

KNL believes that a fundamental condition for Karen national liberation is democracy and an abiding culture of human rights. All citizens should be guaranteed the right to elect a government of their choice, freedom of expression, freedom from discrimination, and other fundamental human rights. They should have a central and state governments not only formally based on their will but ones that are open and transparent, and ones that consult and continually involve the people in policy formulation and implementation. Consistent with these principles is the task of ensuring equality among the diverse ethnic, linguistic, cultural and religious communities.