Assembly Resolution No. 2238

BY: M. of A. Buttenschon

RECOGNIZING August 2024, as Karen American
Heritage Month

WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to recognize August
2024, as Karen American Heritage Month; and

WHEREAS, The Karen are an ethnolinguistic group of Sino-Tibetan
language-speaking ethnic groups; and

WHEREAS, These Karen groups reside primarily in Kayin State in the
southern and southeastern portions of Myanmar; and

WHEREAS, In the late 20th Century, many Karen people were forced to
flee to refugee camps along the Thai/Burma (Myanmar) border; and

WHEREAS, In 2007, about 150,000 refugees were already living in nine
camps along the Thai/Burma border: Ban Don Yang, Ban Kwai/Nai Soi, Ban
Mae Surin, Mae La, Mae La Oon, Mae Ra Ma Luang, Nu Po, Tham Hin and
Umpiem Mai; and

WHEREAS, Some refugees have been in the camps for more than two
decades; and

WHEREAS, Karen people make up 90 percent of residents in the refugee
camps; the first wave of Karen refugees fled to Thailand in January of
1984; and

WHEREAS, Large numbers of refugees are now leaving the camps in
Thailand because the Thai government is trying to shut them down; more
people are also fleeing Burma, creating an overflow in the camps; and

WHEREAS, The Karen population throughout the world is estimated at
about 3 million to 6 million; 70 percent are Theravada Buddhists, and 20
percent to 30 percent are Christian; they all value education; and

WHEREAS, By trade, they are farmers, weavers, basket makers,
teachers, small traders, medics or traditional healers and religious
leaders; and

WHEREAS, Like the Montagnards who helped United States soldiers
during the Vietnam War, the Karen aided British troops against Japanese
occupation during World War II; and

WHEREAS, Beginning in 2000, the Karen started resettling in the
United States and Canada; and

WHEREAS, The State of Minnesota has the highest concentrated
population of Karen people in America; other states with significant
Karen populations include California, Texas, New York and Indiana;
according to the Minnesota Karen Association, there were more than
17,000 Karen living in Minnesota in 2017; and

WHEREAS, The Karen peoples' two most important holidays are The
Karen New Year which usually falls in December-January because the Karen
people follow the lunar calendar, and The Karen Wrist Tying which is
observed annually in August throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, They come together and celebrate Karen New Year and Karen
Wrist Tying throughout the State of New York; for the past few years,
they have celebrated their holiday in Albany, Utica, Syracuse,
Rochester, and Buffalo; and

WHEREAS, Karen people enjoy meals which consists of rice, fish
paste, vegetables, and sometimes meat; they also enjoy spicy food; and

WHEREAS, Karen throughout the United States attended rallies in
Washington and New York to oppose the government oppression in Rangoon,
Burma's largest city; and

WHEREAS, After a consultation conference on June 13, 2018, Karen
Organization of the United States of America (KOUSA) and Karen American
Organization (KAO) leaders explored the possibility of working together
and merging the two organizations in order to improve operational
effectiveness, increase cooperation, strengthen and acclimate Karen
communities in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The leaders of the two groups agreed to merge and
collaborate as one entity and became the Karen Organization of America
in August of 2018, in Omaha, Nebraska; and

WHEREAS, Today, the Karen Organization of America offers extensive
resources and support to help the refugees survive and thrive in a new
land; their mission is to maintain Karen history, keep Karen traditions
alive, and help bring Karen people together from all around the world;
now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
recognize August 2024, as Karen American Heritage Month; and be it
further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to the Karen Organization of America.