Just at that moment, as if by chance, a group of Talaing merchants came in and argued that they owned this land for they were the first to set foot on it. For a sign, they buried nine sickles under the teak log. So, the four groups were in heated debate and finally agreed to dig the earth and see whether they were correct in what they said. The Karens added that their parents didn’t dig the earth to bury the sign. They stuck a fishing rod with a Karen tunic hanging on it. As time had been lapsed for many years we were not sure they would still be found. The fishing rod and the Karen tunic might have been drifted or blown away to other places. But what we said and testified were the whole truth.
Anyhow, according to the agreement, the Karens started digging the earth first and the teak log was found as the Karens told. Then came the British turn to dig. They dug the ground under the teak log and as they said so nine copper coins were found. After that, the Burmese dug deeper to reveal nine baskets of ground nut which obviously displayed that it was cheatingly done. The Talaing also showed the same trick as they dug deeper than the Burmese to expose nine sickles.
All the signs were found according to each group’s testimony and excepting the Karen the other groups were quite deceitful in trying to prove their claim. Everyone knows that former things buried deeper than latter things as times went by. Nevertheless, they made covenant that the Talaing would rule the land first and then followed by the Burmese and the British consequently. The Karen would rule the country after the British era. This is the legacy as well as the prophecy the Karen ancestors left for their posterities. This prophecy is now partially fulfilled as world history unfolded its pages day after day.
This land belongs to the Karen people and their ancestors had rightfully marked it for them...
The prophecy added that one day, the Karens will have a fair share of this land. Unless this justice is recognized and executed in due time, Burma (Myanmar) will never become progressed, prosper and peaceful. For the Karen people who are now for many reasons scattered in many parts of the world, this prophecy will remain their heritage forever, their hope in the future and their honor to become better citizens in every nation.
“For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay”. - Habakkuk 2:3
“The long years effort of the Karen people to create their own national state is a decent and deserving struggle. We bear malice towards none. It is the mark of a common aspiration for a civilized race to attain and by which is conceived and cherishable to all” - Saw Loh Doh Taw
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