Hundreds Attend Mahn Shah Funeral

Hundreds of mourners, including Karen and members of Burma’s other ethnic groups, attended the funeral on Monday of Mahn Sha, the leader of the country’s largest ethnic resistance organization. The funeral was held near the Thai-Burmese border town of Mae Sot.

Hundreds of mourners attend the funeral of assassinated Karen leader, Mahn Sha. (Photo: Paw Wah)

Mahn Sha, the highly respected general secretary of the Karen National Union (KNU), was shot dead by two gunmen at his Mae Sot home on Thursday. The Irrawaddy’s special correspondent at the funeral, Wai Moe, said several KNU leaders failed to attend the Buddhist funeral, probably for security reasons.

Some members of Mahn Sha’s family were also absent. 

KNU Chairman Ba Thin Sein and Vice Chairman Tamla Baw and Mahn Sha’s three children did not attend the funeral. Ba Thin Sein and Tamla Baw have been in poor health for several months.

Mahn Sha’s two daughters showed up earlier to pay their respects to their father but they did not attend the funeral ceremony, according to KNU sources.

The widow of the late Karen leader Gen Saw Bo Mya and his favorite son, Nerdah Mya, were also not seen among the mourners.

Karen leaders who did attend included Gen Mu Tu, commander in chief of the Karen National Liberation Army, the military wing of KNU. The large crowd that followed the rites also included Burmese opposition members in exile, and some foreigners.

Gen Mu Tu said in a funeral address that Mahn Sha had been assassinated by unidentified “enemies.” No one has claimed responsibility for the killing, although many observers, journalists and Mae Sot police have said it could have been carried out by breakaway Karen factions.

Meanwhile, in Washington two US congressmen, Joe Pitts and Trent Franks, offered praise of the slain Karen leader.

“Mahn Sha gave his life to protect the Karen from the incomprehensible genocide committed against them by the military regime,” said Trent Franks, who is co-chair of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus Task Force on International Religious Freedom.