Karen-folket har ønsket selvstyre i årtier, men nu slår styret i Burma til mod politisk leder
One of the main ethnic Karen rebel leaders has been sentenced to 17 years in prison on a charge of “unlawful association”, reports from Burma say, according to BBC online Friday.
Mahn Nyein Maung, of the Karen National Union, was deported to Burma after a visa problem on a trip between Thailand and China.
Burma’s government says the KNU is illegal, but has recently held exploratory peace talks with it and other armed ethnic minority groups.
The KNU has been fighting for greater autonomy since the late 1940s.
Mahn Nyein Maung was reportedly travelling from Thailand to China for talks about the peace process.
On his return to Bangkok, the Thai authorities allegedly found out that he had an invalid visa, sending him back to China. Beijing then deported him to Burma.
Mahn Nyein Maung was initially charged only with having false documents, reports say.
But when the Burmese authorities found out who he was, they laid the much more serious charge of unlawful association.
