Myint Karen

Ba Thein Sein, Saw
Maw Reh, Saw
Ba U Gyi, Saw
Padoh Mahn Sha
Ba Zan, Mahn
Sankey, Saw
Benson, Naw Louisa
Sgaw Ler Taw
Bo Mya, Saw
Tamla Baw, Saw
Hla Pe, U
Than Aung, Saw
Hunter Thamwe, Saw
U Thuzana
Kyadoe, Saw Henson

Lin Tin, Saw

Loo Nee, Saw Sydney



Ba Thein Sein, Saw
Born in 1927 in Henzada where he studied at the American Baptist Mission High School worked as a clerk at the war office in Rangoon until 1946. Became involved in the Insein uprising and shortly after joined 2nd Division commander Thackerbaw in the Taungoo-Kawkereik-Hlaingbwe area. 1n 1963 became a member of the KNU central committee and was appointed as education minister during the seventies and eighties, became a KNU General Secretary and Prime minister of Kawthoolei in 1984 and his now President of the KNU.
Ba U Gyi, Saw
Born in Bassin in 1905 to a wealthy landlord, after completing University in Rangoon, in 1925, he became a lawyer and was called to the English Bar two years later. Joined the Burmese Government in 1937 as Minster of revenue. After the war he formed the Karen Nation Union, in 1946, to represent Karen interests in post independence Burma and to call on the British to allow the Karens their own state. He accepted the post of Minister of Information from 1946 to February 1947 and then Minister of Transport before resigning in April 1947. In January 1949 led the Karen uprising in Insein. Was killed in an ambush on the 12th August 1950, near a small village 170 miles away from Moulmein.
The journalist U Thaung, who wasone of the reporters called to the scene recounts the following in his book 'A journalist, A General and an Army in Burma.'
'The military officers continued the press conference on the plane. Saw Ba U Gyi was captured dead, along with a high ranking Karen rebel leader (Saw Sankey) and an English Major who had been imprisoned for supplying arms (believed to be Captain Vivien who provided the arms in the Aung san assassination) they claimed. The journalist succeeded in getting the true story after cross examining them.
The rebel chieftain were captured alive and killed even though they had surrendered. 'They tried to run away when we arranged to take them to our nearest military camp. We couldn't help it. There was no way we could save them in such a situation. They said we could not print the truth so we used the official version 'Captured dead'.'
In order to avoid making a shrine to the fallen Karen hero Saw Ba U Gyi's body was thrown into the sea. To this day the 12th August is respected as Martyr's Day and ceremonies marking Saw Ba U Gyi's death are conducted by Karens throughout the world.