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Environmental researchers have found village water sources close to a tin mining operation in Southern Burma have dangerous levels of lead and arsenic. Independent community-based researchers from Kamoethway, east of Dawei Town, working with an environmentalist expert from the Netherlands carried out water testing in villages close to a tin mining operation and found that the villagers water sources are…

As the world mark International Migrants Day today, regional labor rights groups are taking the opportunity to raise the ongoing plight of many migrant workers in Thailand – many of whom are from Burma – where they have few rights and are vulnerable to extortion. With four million migrant workers in Thailand, migrants form a crucial source of cheap labour…

Villagers in Ka Taw Ni village in Southern Burma alleged that a Thai coal mining company used the local Burmese Army to threaten them for protesting for the closure of its coal mine. A villager in Ka Taw Ni, who asked not to be named for fear for his security, told Karen News. “On November 30, a group of Burma…

Nelson Mandela, the inspirational figure of Africa’s struggle for freedom and the hero to millions around the world, has died at the age of 95 in the company of his family at home in Johannesburg. Nelson Mandela’s death was announced to the world by South Africa’s current president, Jacob Zuma, who said on television that Mandela had “departed” and was…

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Australia for five-day visit,criticised Burma’s current constitution as being “undemocratic” and urged the international community to put added pressure on Burma’s government to undergo further reforms. Speaking at the Sydney Opera House on the 27th of November, where Ms Suu Kyi received honorary degrees from both the University of Sydney and the University of…

In an exclusive two-part interview with Karen News, *Zoya Phan, the Campaigns Manager at Burma Campaign UK and recognized as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum, outlines what Burma’s government needs to do if it is to have genuine political dialogue with the country’s people. Zoya Phan, the Campaigns Manager at Burma Campaign UK explained to Karen…

Burma’s media joined forces with the International Federation of Journalists to call for a media environment without censorship and to be included in the legislation that shapes the country’s media laws. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) issued a media statement supporting Burmese journalists as “they work to create a more open media landscape” for the country’s journalist to work…

Australian government aid money that has helped save the lives of thousands of people from Burma coming to Mae Tao Clinic, on the Thai-Burma border for critical treatment, is to stop. APHEDA the Australian Trade Union overseas aid provider estimates that as many 45,000 people coming to Mae Tao Clinic have received critical medical treatment this year alone from Australian…

Nominations for the 2013 Padoh Mahn Sha Young Leader Award are now open. The award acknowledges young Karen who have shown outstanding leadership in achieving the goals of the Foundation in areas such as fighting poverty, promoting education, promoting development and preserving Karen culture. An award of $2000 is also given to the organisation or community of the winner. The…

A number of international governments, organisations and individuals try to squeeze the current situation of the Karen people into a narrow, restrictive and simplistic narrative that is usually framed like this. ‘After more than sixty years of conflict, at last the Karen have peace. There has been a ceasefire for almost two years, the Karen National Union and government of…