Around 20% are Christian, while 75% are Buddhist. Others lived in the forests bordering Thailand (some still do). Some became ministers in urbanized kingdoms such as the 16th century Pegu kingdom. The various groups do not share history within the kingdoms of pre-colonial Burma or the British empire. The Karen are not homogenous, and are religiously, linguistically, culturally, and geographically separated. They are believed to have come from the Mongolian region, traveling south through the Mekong Valley, the Irrawaddy Valley and the Salween Valley. Karen people began to arrive in what became Myanmar around 500 BC. Karen languages are among the Tibeto-Burman languages, which are a branch of the Sino-Tibetan languages. They speak around 20 different dialects, of which Sgaw and Pwo are the most common. The Karen people are one of the largest ethnic minorities in Myanmar, with a population of 5 to 7 million. The Karen live in the southern Irrawaddy river delta and along the border with Thailand Main article: Karen people An ethno-linguistic map of Burma. Hundreds of thousands of civilians have been displaced by the conflict, many of whom fled to neighbouring Thailand and survive in refugee camps. The Karen National Union (KNU) and its Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) are the most prominent Karen rebel groups. Karen nationalists have been fighting for an independent state, known as Kawthoolei, since 1949. It is part of the wider internal conflict in Myanmar between the military government and various minority groups. The Karen conflict is an armed conflict in Kayin State, Myanmar (formerly known as Karen State, Burma). Campaign at the China–Burma border (1960–1961).
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