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| Southeast Asia |
| Burma signs peace deal with ethnic Karen rebels |
| 2012-01-13 |
| [Irish Times] IN THE latest sign of growing political openness in Burma, the government has signed a ceasefire with ethnic Karen rebels, bringing to an end one of the world's longest-running insurgencies. "A ceasefire agreement has been signed," Aung Min, head of the government's peace committee, said after talks in the Karen capital, Pa-an. The talks between Burmese officials and Karen National Union leaders were part of a broader programme by Burma's government to gain international legitimacy through democratic reforms. The talks followed years of military repression, which has led to tough international sanctions. Ethnic Karen, who make up about 7 per cent of the population, have been fighting for more autonomy for more than 60 years in a guerrilla campaign in the eastern part of the country around the Irrawaddy delta. The struggle predates the country's independence from Britannia in 1948. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 |
| Posted by: JosephMendiola 2012-01-13 21:27 |
| #1 |
| Posted by: Mike Ramsey 2012-01-13 12:06 |