Conflicts have increased in ethnic areas after the new Burmese government held the Union Peace Conference (21st Century Panglong Conference) last August, claimed Nai Kasauk Mon, executive director of the Burma News International (BNI). He was speaking at the launching ceremony of the 2016 Peace Process Reference Guide, which was compiled by BNI. The book launching ceremony was held at…
Read More »ethnic
In an exclusive interview with Karen News, Twan Zaw, the United Nationalities Federal Council’s Joint General Secretary (1) and general secretary of Arakan National Council, discusses the importance of ethnic unity as Burma Army offensives continue to batter villagers in the north of the country. We are totally concerned about the northern fighting, mainly with the members of the UNFC.…
Read More »Human Rights Watch and Fortify Rights called for the Burma government to release information on two ethnic Kachin Baptist leaders missing since late December. The HRW and Fortify Rights statement said the two men, Langjaw Gam Seng, 35, and Dumdaw Nawng Lat, 65, “were apparently forcibly disappeared in Northern Shan State.” Phil Robertson, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch…
Read More »THANDWE, Rakhine State – Rakhine State is one of Myanmar’s poorest regions, where fishing is an important livelihood and business, while it also provides food for many subsistence fishermen. A 2014 Oxfam report estimated 43 percent of the population was to some degree dependent on fishing or aquaculture. The industry has been in a long decline, however, as fish catch…
Read More »Fighting between Karen and Mon soldiers over natural resources and control of territory resulted in one officer wounded by gunfire. The Karen National Liberation Army and the Mon National Liberation Army exchanged fire near Mann Aung village in Ye Phyu Township on December 20 – a deputy company commander from KNLA was wounded. According to sources from both groups, the…
Read More »The Karen national flag flown in front of a primary school in the dual administration areas of Win Ye Township was taken down by Burma Army soldiers operating in the areas. Local KNU officials confirmed to Karen News that the incident took place on November 11, at Konekhaing (Koekaw) village in Win Ye Township in the Karen National Union’s Doo…
Read More »The 30th batch of students to pass Karen National Liberation Army’s (KNLA) Basic Medical Training course graduated at a ceremony held on 10 November in Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade 7 territory. The 105 students, who are all members of ethnic armed organisations (EAOs), came from many ethnic groups including the Karen, Kachin, Arakan, Kayan, Naga and Palaung ethnic groups.…
Read More »Leaders from the Karen National Union and the News Mon State Party agreed more effort is needed to prevent territorial disputes between the two groups. Both parties met on October 15, at an undisclosed location on the Thai-Burma border to discuss their concerns about territory. The latest disputes resulted in armed conflict between the two ethnic armed groups in early…
Read More »Despite some educational reform taking place in Burma, ethnic education workers claim that equal opportunity for them will only be possible when the country’s education system is decentralized. Padoh Saw Lah Say, Head of the Karen Education Department, the educational wing of the Karen National Union (KNU) made the point during the World’s Teachers Day on October 5th in Thay…
Read More »Professor Desmond Ball, academic, military strategist and author of more than 40 books on military intelligence, died today at 3:35pm Australian time. Des work was impressive. He spent time inside US top secret nuclear and command centres, advising the CIA, the White House and the Pentagon, where he persuaded them that a limited nuclear war was impossible. Former US President…
Read More »