15.10.2006

Obituary: General Pu Tah Eh

_ By Zoyz Phan

Pu Tah Eh, 83 year-old, a veteran leader of the Karen National Union passed away on Thursday 5^th of October at his home on the Thai-Burmese border. He is also known as Maj-Gen Tin Oo. He was born in 1923 in Palaing Chaung village, Nyaungdon Township , Irrawaddy Division.

Pu Tah Eh attended an important Karen meeting in 1947 for the formation of the Karen National Union. And he joined the Karen National Defense Organization in 1948. He was active in Burma's independence struggle as a young leader. He was one of the strong Karen leaders who struggled for Karen self-determination and democracy in Burma.

One year later, he became a captain in the KNU-controlled area of Irrawaddy Division, and was later promoted to company commander because of his exemplary military service. He was vice chief-of-staff at KNU headquarters from 1964-1972.

In 1980 he took command of the KNU's Sixth Brigade in the Du Playa District, a position he held until 2000. He retired at the KNU's 13th congress in 2004 but retained the position of adviser. KNU General Secretary Padoh Mahn Sha paid tribute to his military and political contributions and said, “we are losing a good leader”. The funeral was being held on Friday.

It was half a century since Pu Tah Eh started the Karen resistance movement to defend his people from tyranny. While defending the Karen people from oppressive regime, KNU is struggling for self political-determination for Karen people and a future democratic federal union of Burma. The Karen National Union was formed simply to fight for justice and equality.

The Karen people gain more and more sympathy from outside world as the awareness has been raised internationally. However, many Karens are still oppressed by the Burmese regime along with other ethnic groups in Burma. And now Pu Tah Eh has died, on 06.10.2006.

Earlier this year, the regime launched a new military offensive against Karen and Karenni civilians in Eastern part of Burma, shooting innocent children, mutilating and beheading villagers, forcing 20, 000 people from their homes.

And still international community does not take effective action on Burma. The only thing that Pu Tah Eh might want to see in his life is for his people to live in peace and freedom.

Therefore, international community needs to reconsider their responses on Burma and help free all Burmese people from the dictatorship.

Your Comments here_

Request: If you can kindly volunteer to translate BURMA DIGEST English articles into Burmese, please let us know burmadigest@tayzathuria.org.uk .

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