Karen News

The British Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, announced on July 6, 2020 sanctions against 49 people from Russia, Saudi Arabia, North Korea and Burma. Two high-ranking generals from Burma – Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services and Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Commander-in-Chief of Burma Army are named in the list. The sanctions would mean these individuals would be…

The Covid-19 screening post located in KNU controlled territory was burnt by the Burma Army in May. The screening post was rebuilt and is now operating after officials from both the KNU and Burma Army reached an agreement. The screening point was suspended shortly after reopening on June 25 after a request from the Burma Army. A Back Pack Health…

The two political parties based in Karen State made their claims after the Union Election Commission announced on July 1 that the upcoming 2020 election would be held on November 8, 2020. Mahn Aung Pyi Soe, chairperson of the Karen National Democratic Party (KNDP) said. “We haven’t yet seen any official rules or regulation for campaigning in the 2020 election.…

The decision to submit the Don dance, a traditional dance of the Karen people was made after a meeting of department heads of the Karen State government and community leaders committed to the preservation of Karen culture. The proposal will be submitted to the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (Union Parliament) that will receive all nominations – one each from different States and…

Karen State Election Commission data for the period between January 2019 to January 2020 showed the total of eligible voters registered as 1,100,000 – excluding eligible voters in the military. Sa Kyaw Swa, vice chairperson of the Karen National Democratic Party (KNDP) in Kyainseikgyi Township told Karen News people in his area were excluded from the two previous elections. “In…

The ministers, Saw Aung Myint Khaing, Karen Ethnic Affair Minister for Mon State and Naw Pann Thinzar Myo, Karen Ethnic Affair Minister for the Yangon Region told Karen News they didn’t submit their applications to the NLD for re-running in the election. “I didn’t resubmit the form for the Karen Ethnic Affair Minister position,” Naw Pann Thinzar Myo told Karen…

The United Nations Development Program awarded the prestigious Equator Prize to the Salween Peace Park for their landscape conservation works. The Salween Peace Park is a community-led initiative, empowers local Indigenous communities by revitalizing their traditional practices, asserting their rights, and managing their natural resources. The Equator Prize was established by the United Nations Development Program in 2002 and is…

FBR said despite COVID-19 pandemic the jets opened fire on villages. “The escalating conflict between the Arakan Army and Burma Army has been disastrous on local populations as civilians are caught in the crossfire. On March 15, the Burma Army dropped bombs into Wohma Village, Chin State, killing nine people and wounding 12 people.” FBR cite a report by the…

The Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion #410 under the Military Operation Command #8 was fighting with a Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) unit near Wah Klo Htar and Maw Law Klo villages in LuThaw Township, Mutraw District. A villager who witnessed the shelling told Karen News that the two injured people had to be rushed to hospital. “The Burma Army…

Saw Ba U Gyi, the founder of the Karen National Union and the modern Karen armed revolution, told Karen leaders that the Karen’s struggle for freedom and autonomy to succeed, there are three approaches 1. armed struggle, 2, political dialogue for a negotiated settlement with the Burmese government, and 3. international intervention or arrangement for the Karen people. Saw Greh…