Karenni State
The Karenni State is situated on the Thai-Burma border, with Shan State to the north, and Karen State to the south. It is believed that the Karenni people migrated from Mongolia and settled in their present location in 739 BC. The state covers an area of 11,731.5 square kilometers, and has a population of around 300,000.
Whilst other states in Burma were annexed as part of India in 1885, the British recognized, by an agreement in 1875, the independence and sovereignty of Karenni State. When the Burmese received independence in 1948, they unilaterally included Karenni State in the Union of Burma, without the knowledge of the Karenni Supreme Council or the consultation with the Karenni people.
People
Karenni meaning Red Karen, are a sub-tribe of Karen people. As their favourite colour is red, and they prefer red dresses, they have been known by the Burmans as Karenni. The Karenni people are composed of diverse sub-tribal groups, which are ethnically closely linked.
The location of the origin of the Karenni people is Mongolia in Central Asia. Later they gradually moved to the south of Asia, namely Burma (Myanmar). The Karenni are, along with the Mon from Mon State, the oldest indigenous inhabitants of present day Burma.
Current Issues 
Overview
The Karenni people are an indigenous ethnic minority that has faced persecution by the Burmese military junta since Independence. Systematic arrests, imprisonment, extrajudicial killings, destruction of houses, forced relocations, and land seizures have been reported, giving rise to countless refugees along the Thai-Burmese border. Those denied official refugee status by Thai officials are subsequently denied rights by which local non-governmental organizations (NGOs) can relocate them to other countries. Accordingly, such refugees are restricted from leaving overcrowded refugee camps.
Displacement and Quality of Life
For almost five decades the Karenni people have endured extreme Burmese persecution and have fought to retain their identity and sovereignty. Widespread internal conflict and resource scarcity have given rise to countless refugees to neighbouring Thailand and internally displaced persons (IDPs). It is reported that, since 1996, over 2,500 Karenni villages have been destroyed by the Burmese regime. In last year alone, 5,000 Karennis have been reportedly forced to flee their homes as part of a continuing campaign of intimidation against ethnic minorities.
Amongst the displaced, malnutrition and food shortages remain of grave concern.
Education
Whilst Burmese officials have noted a strong link between the need to develop education systems in Karenni state with local stability and have nominated Loikaw as a selected zone for development projects, education remains widely unavailable.
School fees render education beyond the reach of most Karenni people, who struggle to pay for textbooks and uniforms. Schools in rural areas are generally poorly supplied, whilst very limited educational provisions are offered to children in IDP areas. Villages that do have primary schools suffer widely from a shortage of teaching staff, lack of teacher training, and a dearth of funds.
Healthcare
Healthcare is largely inaccessible to those in rural areas, where hospitals are scarce and the cost of medicine remains beyond the reach of most local residents. Township hospitals and health clinics are poorly equipped and severely under-staffed.
UNICEF has facilitated immunization and malaria prevention programs in the country, and distributes vitamins and deworming tablets to help combat malnutrition. However, the number of Karenni children immunized remains low as many in need live in restricted areas beyond the reach of medical teams. It is also reported that a lack of financial support from central government has forced some hospitals to charge patients for drugs provided freely by international aid agencies.
Violence and conflict
The number of armed groups in Karenni has increased. Along with the Tatmadaw and the opposition Karenni Army, there are also numerous groups who aid the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in return for economic concessions and rewards for its leaders and small splinter groups. All have brought the war to the villages.
The Four Cuts Policy, introduced in the 1970s, aimed to undermine support for armed opposition groups by cutting access to supplies, information, recruits and food. Whilst the regime denies a deliberate policy of ethnic cleansing, the victims of its counter-insurgency measures are often Karenni civilians. Such counter-insurgency measures have been reported to lead to increased militarization, forced displacement, and the burning and looting of villages in an effort to crush support for rebel groups.
The Tatmadaw have also been reported to demand food and unpaid labour from local civilians, some of whom have reportedly been pulled into conflict to porter ammunition and act as human landmine sweepers.
Self-determination
Since 1948, the Karenni people have resisted the Burmese regime and endeavoured to regain control of their own state and preserve its traditions, culture and languages. At the forefront of this struggle is the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), which has led the armed struggle and organized aid to the Karenni people since 1957. A ceasefire was established in 1995, which collapsed within months. The KNPP has alleged an ethnic cleansing agenda by the Burmese military.
It has been put forth that the Karenni, in line with the policies of a number of other ethnic states, are in pursuit of establishing a Burmese federal union in which ethnic minorities would be offered autonomy.
