BURMA: The Karen, many of them Christians, are among a welter of ethnic minorities in mostly Buddhist Burma.
Most of the seven million Karen people, or just over 10 per cent of Burma's population, live in remote areas and have radically different culture and traditions from the Burman majority. The ruling generals say it is their duty to prevent the Karen and other rebels from shattering Burma's unity.
The Karen National Union has been battling successive Burmese governments over the issue of Karen autonomy since 1949. It has been a losing battle.
Until recently the mountainous region along Burma's border with Thailand contained the last Karen strongholds, most of which have fallen. More than 100,000 Karen have fled into Thailand.
Two weeks ago UN human rights investigators called on Burma's junta to stop targeting the minority and cited allegations of killings, rape and torture by soldiers. The appeal was issued by the UN special rapporteur on human rights in Burma, Paulo Sergio Pinheiro.