Some brief thoughts on this week's peace agreement between the KNU and Burmese Government

While the recently signed ceasefire between the Burmese government and the Karen National Union (KNU) may portend a decrease in violence and direct combat, the agreement changes little in the lives of many of the Karen medics participating in the training. Many provincial borders and Karen population centers remain littered with land mines, and fighting in other parts of the country continues. Landmine accidents are sure to continue, and the relative isolation of many Karen villages means that many medics play a vital role in general trauma care within their communities.

In short, while the Karen leaders may have reached an accord with the Burmese government, little has changed in the day-to-day work of many of the medics.