Articles

State government officials from Mon and Karen States attended the opening ceremony for the Karen National Union’s sixth liaison office in Naung Bo village, Thaton Township, Mon State on March 5. As many as one thousand people attended the liaison office opening ceremony by the Union Minister, U Zayar Aung, the Chief Minister of Mon State, U Ohn Myint, the…

Htone Bo villagers have demanded that the Shwe Energy (Asia World) Company allow them to work in their lands in the project area of the Thauk Ye Khat 2 hydro-power-dam that is now producing electricity. The Htone Bo village, 14-miles from Taungoo Town, had been relocated due to the construction of the Thauk Ye Khat Dam. Villagers claim that they…

Karen villagers in the Pa-an Township area have managed to carve out a niche for themselves while stopping large construction companies from monopolizing the local quarrying business. According to villagers in the area since the government allowed residents to work the quarries in Pa-an Township, Karen State, local people are benefitting. Saw Kyaw Myint Naing, told to Karen News that…

Despite ceasefire arrangements villagers in Karen State are worried that unscrupulous local officials will force them off their farmland and business interests wanting the land for development projects. Recent cases of confiscated land in the Tontay Township region have seen local politicians take up the case on behalf of the villagers. Last week the Karen People’s Party said that it…

A report by the Kachin Women’s Association Thailand (KWAT) documents civilian casualties from Burma Army attacks in Kachin areas, and urges the international community to ramp up pressure on Burma’s government to stop the attacks. The report states that civilians are getting killed as Burma’s military launches offensives against Kachin Independence Army (KIA) forces. The report, “State terror in the…

The Kachin Women’s Association of Thailand (KWAT) released a statement on Thursday urging the international community to help stop the Burmese government’s consistent human rights violations even as the conflict has stabilized. Moon Nay Li, a spokesperson for KWAT spoke to Karen News about the fighting between the Burma Army and the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). Moon Nay Li said…

On February 18 a ceremony was held to celebrate the life of a famous Karen artist, Zwekabin Kyaw Lay. Saw Yar Haung said that Zwekabin Kyaw Lay had traveled extensively and educated the Karen people through his art in spite of various difficulties he faced. Because he sacrificed his life and was a thoughtful person, he was acknowledged as a…

Migrant workers from the SD Fashion Company [also known by its former name “Champion”] in Kham Piban, in Mae Sot negotiated with their employer at the Labor Protection and Welfare Department, the Ministry of Thai Labor an agreement for safer working conditions. The workers’ leader, Ko Zaw Lay, at the SD Fashion garment factory, said that workers who used to…

Middle-ranking Karen army officers claim that the Burma Army has taken advantage of last year’s historic ceasefire, signed between the government and the Karen National Union, to reinforce its position in territory controlled by the ethnic armed group. Captain Saw Gyi No, the KNU Tee Mo Pwa area administration chairman in the Mergui-Tavoy District, in southern Burma, spoke to Karen…

Villagers in the Nabule area will be forced to leave their homes, in April, to make way for construction work related to the mega-project, the $60 billion Dawei deep-sea port project. Residents of Mu Do village in Nabule area, Tenasserim Division, will be have to leave their homes before the annual Water Festival [Atar Thingyan], on April 13. The Italian-Thai…