ethnic

As talks between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) and Burma’s military continue, displaced Kachin say that it is not yet safe to return home. Thousands of villagers in Kachin State and northern Shan State have been displaced from their homes for nearly two years due to the conflict. This is in spite of ongoing talks between the Burma Army and…

The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army held an ethnic nationalities seminar to exchange views and to assess the current political situation in Burma. The seminar was held at Sone Zee Myaing village, Karen State on June 15. Brigadier General Moshay, the DKBA Deputy Chief-of-Staff told Karen News that although the government has made ceasefire agreements with most of the ethnic armed…

The Burma Army has issued an ultimatum to Karen ethnic armed groups to remove their flags by midday Wednesday or suffer the consequences. The Commander of Burma Army Light Infantry Division, Brigadier General Htin Maw Tun, has ordered armed groups in the Myawaddy district to take down their organizations’ flags that are flying at vacant lands owned by the organization…

A Karenni community based organization has accused the Burma government’s regulation for schools of being to expensive for villagers to comply with. The Kayan New Generation Youths (KNGY) working on educational development inside Kayah (Karenni) State said the Ministry of Education should reduce its standard on school sizes. The KNGY’s chairman, Khon Bi Htoo, told Karen News that the Ministry…

A heavy artillery offensive by the Burma Army against a Shan armed group resulted in residents of nine villages being evacuated. Local sources told Karen News that following the Burma Army’s artillery bombardment on May 9 the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army’s (RCSS/SAA) abandoned its camp at Nan Khan Township, Northern Shan State. The RCSS/SAA’s spokesperson Major Sai…

Myint Kanpon residents aim to increase the numbers of teachers at the government primary school in Myint Kanpon, Dawei Township, Tenasserim Division. Saw Chit Chit, a Myint Kanpon villager, explains. “In our village, there is only one teacher that is nominated by the Government. Two more teachers are nominated by the village and paid for by subsidies of 50,000 kyat…

Burma’s military accused of mass human rights abuses in Shan State as President Thein Sien is awarded peace prize and the EU economic sanctions. The Shan Human Rights Foundation has expressed grave concern over new widespread abuses being committed by the Burma Army in recent weeks. Despite ongoing peace talks with the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), Burma’s military has launched…

More than 1,000 villagers have fled in the face of new operations by the Burma Army against the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), said the Shan Human Rights Foundation. “Atrocities by Burmese troops in a new military operation against the SSA-North have caused over 1,000 villagers, from 16 villages in Tangyan, to flee from their homes during the past two weeks.”…

A Shan environmental organization warned that the recent increase military tension between the Burma Army and the ethnic armed group, the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N), could destroy cease-fire agreements and result in conflict that could cause massive displacement in Northern Shan State. The Shan Sapawa Environmental Organization said that on March 26, the Burma Army issued an ultimatum to the…

The Burma Army orders Shan Army to clear way for Chinese Mega Projects while surrounding Shan State with tanks and artillery. Burma’s military has given an ultimatum to the Shan State Army-North (SSA-N) to remove its troops from the West Bank of the Salween River, near the construction of a Chinese backed mega dam. On March 26, Burma’s Northeast Regional…