1) "The Karen National Union (KNU) is an armed group operating in the border area between Burma and Thailand. In Karen, this area is called Kawthoolei. The KNU has been fighting the Burmese government since 1948 through its armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA)." "The KNU's effectiveness was severely diminished after the fall of its headquarters at Manerplaw, near the Thai border, in 1994. At that time, a group of Buddhist soldiers in the KNLA went over to the side of the Burmese military junta. This group, known as the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), was given territory inside of Burma to rule over in exchange. They played a significant part in the capture of Manerplaw. While the DKBA claims to be fighting against anti-Buddhist discrimination inside the KNU, it is in practice the small private army of a warlord in alliance with the Burmese military junta. Mahn Sha Lar Phan, the secretary-general of the union was shot dead in his home in Mae Sot, Thailand, on February 14, 2008, possibly by soldiers of the DKBA. Since then, the KNU and KNLA have continued to fight the Burma state military (Tatmadaw) by forming guerilla units and basing themselves in temporary jungle camps on the Thai-Burma border. Following its principle of no surrender, the KNU continues despite a precarious state of existence. Nonetheless, their fight continues to garner the sympathy of the international community since the KNU represent the Karen people, one of the many ethnic nationalities of Burma that are experiencing ethnic cleansing under the military regime's Four Cuts campaigns (Pya Ley Pya), a strategy where intelligence, finances, food and recruits are eliminated through a scorched-earth policy." "The Karen conflict is the longest war of independence in the world, having been waged for 58 years." Source and further information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_National_Union 2) "A Burmese rebel leader who was an outspoken critic of the country's military government has been shot and killed at his home near the Thai-Burmese border. A reporter for VOA Burmese Service says Karen National Union secretary-general Pado Mahn Sha Lap Han was killed Thursday in the Thai town of Mae Sot. Two unidentified men carried out the apparent assassination. No one has claimed responsibility. Pado Mahn Sha Lap Han was also a top leader of the National Council of the Union of Burma, a Thai-based group which opposes military rule in Burma. The Karen National Union has been fighting for autonomy in eastern Burma for decades. It is the only major ethnic rebel group to not sign a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government. The predominantly Christian KNU frequently clashes with its splinter group, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, which has links to the Burmese military. The DKBA reached a peace agreement with Burma's military-led government in the mid-1990s." Source and further information: http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-02-14-voa19.cfm 3) "1. The establishment of a Karen State with the right to self-determination. 2. The establishment of National States for all the nationalities, with the right to self-determination 3. The establishment of a genuine Federal Union with all the states having equal rights and the right to self-determination. 4. The Karen National Union will pursue the policy of National Democracy." Source and further information: http://www.karen.org/knu/knu.htm

They are lobbying to have Sylvester Stallone film the next Rocky movie there too.