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A group of 291 Shan civilians internally displaced by war in Shan State sent a letter of appeal directly to President U Thein Sein requesting a withdrawal of Burma Army soldiers from the areas of conflict and compensation for land and possessions they had allegedly destroyed. The letter, addressed to U Thein Sein, claimed that Burma Army soldiers destroyed 422…

The Karen National Union’s, secretary 1, Padoh Saw Thaw Thi Bweh told Karen News that unless the situation in Burma guarantees refugees safety, their dignity and is conducted according to international humanitarian guidelines any return at the moment is not appropriate. In an interview with Karen News, Padoh Saw Thaw Thi Bweh, Secratry of the Karen National Union, warned that…

In an exclusive interview with Karen News, Ms Charm Tong, a founder of the Shan Women’s Action Network, expressed grave concerns over ongoing Burma Army offensives in Shan State in areas of supposed ceasefire, and criticised the international community for not applying more pressure on the government to stop its offensives. “There are three thousand Burma Army soldiers in Shan…

About 90 representatives from 16 ethnic armed organizations reached a general agreement to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement if the government accepts a federal union, equality and ethnic rights for self-determination. The agreement was reached during the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) members’ summit held from July 25 to 29 at the Kachin town of Laiza, headquarters of a NCCT’s…

The Karen National Union (KNU) has chosen five leaders to represent it at the upcoming Ethnic Armed Organization Conference in the Kachin Town of Laiza on July 24. The conference is being held to discuss the proposed nationwide ceasefire agreement and the KNU delegation, will be led by its Chairperson, General Mutu Sae Poe. The Ethnic Armed Organization Conference will…

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners has said in a statement that Burma’s government is suppressing the country’s press in ways reminiscent of the country’s previous military dictatorship. The AAPP statement referred to the sentencing of five journalists from Unity Weekly to 10 years imprisonment for allegedly disclosing state secrets and the detainment of a further five journalists from Bi…

Following intense media speculation, Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, released a media statement on Thursday 17 July in an attempt to cool speculation that the refugee camps on the Thai Burma border were about to be closed and residents sent back to Burma. The MFA’s press release highlighted four main points and underlined that a recent meeting between Thailand and…

Thailand’s National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), has reached an agreement with the commander-in-chief of Burma’s military to repatriate the 120,000 refugees on the Thai Burma border. The agreement has alarmed human rights experts and has increased refugees concerns, with uncertainty as to exactly when and where the refugees will go and how their safety can be guaranteed. Head…

Burma is arguably the worst offender of minority rights in Asia, according to the latest report by Minority Rights Group International (MRG). The Minority Rights Group annual report documented “disturbing levels of violence and propaganda against minorities” across Asia but singled out Burma as perhaps the worst place for minority groups where hate crimes were a “daily reality.” MRG noted…

An estimated 38 million people are living with HIV globally. Half a million of those are in Thailand and a further 200,000 in Burma. Yet HIV is treated with harsh stigma in the two countries, where people suffer discrimination, are abused – some kill themselves. People from Burma and Thailand who had HIV spoke to Karen News of how they…