Articles

As the world commemorates refugee week, in Thailand’s largest refugee camp ethnic Karen refugees who fled conflict in Burma struggle with homesickness, discrimination and apprehension of what they’ll find when they return over the border. Ma Tway considers the uncertainty of her future, takes a long stare into nothing, before answering, “living in a Mae La refugee camp has been…

Following a series of attacks on Burmese migrant workers in Malaysia that have so far resulted in six deaths and 20 people injured, an spokesperson from Air Bagan said the airline will offer free flights to Burmese migrant workers in Malaysia who want to return home. The Air Bagan spokesperson told Karen News that they would also organize domestic flights…

Villagers taken from 30 villages were ordered to work on the construction of the HteeLah Eh Hta Bridge that crosses the Yunzanlin River, near Papun Township. The Karen Human Right Group’s report released on June 13, described how villagers from Meh Mwe, Day Wah, Kyaw Pah, Htee Th’Daw Hta and Meh Pree village were forced to construct the bridge. KHRG…

Mr. Yuki Nishimori, a consultant with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) that is working on assessing the potential for development projects for the Japanese government in Mon and Karen State, met with officials from the Karen National Unions’s liaison office in Myawaddy to discuss opening an information center on issues related to refugee and internally displaced people. The meeting…

Thousands of displaced civilians fleeing conflict between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in Kachin State, now face a life of extreme hardship with little to no access to food, medicine, clothing and in appalling living conditions. Free Burma Rangers, a frontline humanitarian organization providing medical assistance to internally displaced people (IDPs) in Burma, report that as…

A Karen National Union delegation, led by its chairman, Saw Mutu Say Poe, left yesterday for Rangoon to meet with government officials for a new round of peace talks. Padoh Thaw Thi Bwe, the organisations joint secretary confirmed with Karen News that a KNU delegation, led by Chairman Saw Mutu Say Poe, is schedule to meet government Minister, U Aung…

Following complaints about a refugee profiling survey been carried out by the Mae Fah Luang Foundation (MFLF) in collaboration with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in the Mae La refugee camp, officials met to discus the issues of complaint and agreed to continue its surveying. Saw George, vice chairperson of the Karen Refugees Committee (KRC), said that…

The National League for Democracy’s Education Network, is the winner of the Myanmar Citizen Award for 2013, it was announced on June 10. The Myanmar Citizen Award is awarded annually by the Citizen Award Committee formed by Overseas Myanmar Families to honor people and groups who have worked for civil society and in the interest of the people. This is…

The Karen State Ministry of Transportation and Communication will ban, from this month, all unregistered vehicles from traveling between the towns of Hpa-an and Myawaddy. Saw Khaung Pan Htaw, a staff member of the Minister of Transportation and Communication, said that the ban is necessary as ASEAN countries will begin trading in Karen State in June, and it is inappropriate…

Britain’s Foreign Office Minister says investigation into ethnic conflict in Burma is needed. Britain’s Foreign Office Minister Baroness Warsi noted in parliament that “independent investigative work” is required for “an informed assessment as to whether ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity have been committed” in Burma. The statement came on Wednesday, 5 June, in which Baroness Warsi was speaking in…