Civil War in Burma - The World Is Unaware

It's been 58 years and counting since the Civil War in Burma began. Shortly after Burma's Independence from Britain in 1948, the KNLA and the Karen National Union (KNU) have been in conflict against the Burmese Military Government.

A battle between the Karen people and the Burmese Military has left innocent people brutally tortured, abused, raped and killed. (Please note that some images, stories and details on this lens might be very graphic)

The people most affected, the Karen, are the largest of the ethnic minority groups living in the mountain ranges of eastern Burma and northwestern Thailand. There are over six million Karen in Burma, and over 400,000 in Thailand.

When I mention the war in Burma to people in America, they look at me dumbfounded and completely unaware of it. Why is it so hidden, so covered up?

Living in northern Thailand, I see how it has affected the locals EVERY DAY. As I sit here from my air conditioned condo looking outside of my window, I see torn up shacks, illegal burmese kids running around, orphans and people living through such harships.

My observances of the local Burmese living in Thailand are this: They are the kindest, most down-to-earth and most judged people of anyone in Thailand. The Thai people look down on them and anyone who associates with them. They are impoverished beyond belief. Many of them have escaped the War in Burma, traveled for days with no food, risking their lives to make it into Thailand (safe ground) and turn away from the war. Then when in Thailand they are happy to be alive, but a whole new slew of problems arise because they are not THAI. Many are local farmers who work 12-16 hour days and make 30-50.00 USD per month. Since they are working their children are usually running around on their own, taking care of themselves. It's dangerous, there are thousands of orphans of the war and people are painfully unaware...until now anyway...