February 14, 2008
Our Deepest Condolences for
Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan
We are deeply saddened to learn the tragic incident of assassination of Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan, a leader of the Karen National Union (KNU) which is one of the biggest ethnic groups fighting the Burmese military rulers.
Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan, 64, is the General Secretary of the KNU. He was killed at his two-storey wooden home in Mae Sot, Thailand by unknown gunmen on 14.02.2008, which his son Hse Hse, another senior member of the predominantly Christian Karen rebel movement, blamed a Buddhist Karen splinter group which brokered a truce with the Burmese military rulers in the mid-1990s.
The assassination of Padoh Mahn Sha is an irreparable loss for all pro-democracy and human rights movement of all people of all ethnic races in Burma and also for all freedom loving people of Burma.
On this tragic occasion, we, Rohingya Human Rights Council (RHRC) and the the people of Rohingya ethnic community share the grief and extend our deepest condolences to the family of Padoh Mahn Sha, to his political comrades, to his friends and to his supporters and particularly to the members of the KNU who, we believe, will not lose their courage even for a moment at this cowardly act by the assassins. We hope that the KNU will turn the shock of losing Padoh Mahn Sha into power to continue their struggle to put an end to the plight of the Karen people as well as to the despotic rule of the Burmese military rulers, through Saw Ba U Gyi’s four principles for arm struggle of the Karen Revolution as well as through Mass Campaign, Political Campaign, Diplomatic Campaign, International Campaign and Media Campaign as nourished Padoh Mahn Sha.
With deepest tribute to Padoh Mahn Sha Lah Phan.
A. Rahman Farooq
Chairman, Rohingya Human Rights Council (RHRC)Address: 2975 Vang i Valdres, NorwayContact: +4797413036Email:rohingyas.rhrc@yahoo.com, rohingyas.rhrc@gmail.com
