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Karen villagers whose lands were taken by companies to build a hydropower dam are angry and now want their lands returned. The villagers from the Palet Wa region in Thandaung Township lost their homes and land to a hydro-power dam in Htantabin Township are protesting and demanding their lands are returned from the companies. More than a 100 villagers and…

This year’s Friend’s Without Borders Foundation art and cultural festival held at Chiang Mai University Art Centre commemorates the work of Karen human rights activist, Pawlachee Rakchongcharoen, also known as Billy. The Festival runs from 8 to 12 of May. The 2015 festival sub-title, Rak Chongcharoen (Salute to Love), honors the human rights and environmentalism work of Billy. Billy was…

The Karen National Union’s vice chairperson, Padoh Naw Zipporah Sein will lead its delegation to attend the ethnic leaders’ summit to be held today 1st May, in Pangshang. Padoh Naw Zipporah Sein was selected at the KNU by its central standing committee at an emergency meeting on 25th April to discuss the draft Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement at the ethnic summit.…

The Burma government continued its crackdown on political activists with the February arrest of two union leaders who demanded a $1 pay rise for garment workers. The Burma Campaign UK, on the eve of May Day, called for the “immediate and unconditional release of two union leaders, Naing Htay Lwin and Myo Min Min.” The Rangoon based union leaders were…

The Karen National Liberation Army 2nd Brigade based in the Taungoo District confirmed to Karen News that a small firefight between its solders and the government troops happened on April 20. Lieutenant Saw Prah, company commander of the KNLA 2nd Brigade’s security force told Karen News that the fighting was between his soldiers and the Burma Army’s Infantry Battalion 589…

In an exclusive series of interviews with Karen News, Padoh Naw Zipporah Sein, vice chairperson of the Karen National Union talks about a diverse range of critical issues facing ethnic people. In part 1, Ms Sein gives her perspective on the progress of the draft nationwide ceasefire agreement between the Burmese government and the country’s ethnic armed groups. Ms Sein…

The Karen National Union is holding a central standing committee emergency meeting to discuss the draft nationwide ceasefire agreement and the ethnic armed organization summit at its headquarters at Lay Wah, Hlaingbwe Townhip in Pa-an District from April 20-22, 2015. Padoh Naw Zipporah Sein, vice chairperson of the KNU spoke to Karen News about the meeting. “There will be presentations…

Karen villagers from Nyaung Chaung claim the justice system has let down five men from the village sentenced to death and one to a life sentence by the Thaton Disctrict Court in Mon State on 16 January 2015. More than 30 villagers including the victim families and village leaders gathered to discuss the case – villagers are angry. Villagers alleged…

An alliance of ethnic armed groups have said that they have reached an agreement with the government about a nationwide ceasefire but now need to take the draft wording to a summit for their leaders to ratify and sign the document. Naing Hong Sar, head of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) representing the ethnic armed organizations, told reporters at…

Ethnic based and private media groups operating in Burma have raised their concerns on increased media restriction in Burma at a conference held in Harkar of Chin State on March 19, 2015. Around 90 media groups including ethnic media groups and private media groups from different parts of the country got together to discuss the current media law, media development…