Karen State

Monks and residents from Hpa-an protest against the destruction of the town’s historic football ground to make way for the construction of a hotel and shopping mall. As many as 500 monks gathered on Friday, September 27, at the Hpa-an Maebaung Monastery to demonstrated against the building of the hotel and shopping mall on Myoma Football ground. The Myoma football…

Monks and a Malaysian construction plan to install a cable car on Karen State’s famous and symbolic, Zwekabin Mountain. A Pagoda at the top of Zwekabin Mountain, near Hpa-an Town, is visited each day by hundreds of Buddhists pilgrims and tourists who make the arduous three to four hour trek each day. The cable car project organizing committee said that…

Farmers have demanded compensation for their land confiscated and for losses of land to mining and a cement factory in Hlakar village track, in Hpa-an, Karen State. The Hlakar farmers held a meeting in the village on September 12 that decided to present their five-point demands through the Member of Parliament, Daw Nan Say Awa, from the Phalon Swaw Democratic…

Kyauk Khet villagers, devastated after losing their homes in last week’s floods are scared of rebuilding as weather authorities predict more heavy rain for the region. Villagers watched in horror as last week’s heavy rain caused the Kyauk Khet River to break its banks and wash away 17 houses. Kyauk Khet village located in Myawaddy Township, Karen State is split…

This year’s Karen wrist tying ceremony came with added significance. A two-year ceasefire still holding, Karen armed groups, once sworn enemies promising to be united and villagers able to travel freely in their homeland. Saw Myint Thu, an organizing committee member for this year’s ceremony in Hpa-an told Karen News that this year’s celebration is the best yet. Saw Myint…

After an argument broke out between four members of a Karen militia group three ended up dead from gunshots. The four Karen men were members of the KNU/KNLA Peace Council, a Karen armed group led by former Karen National Liberation Army, 7th Brigade Commander General Htin Maung. The KNU/KNLA Peace Council broke away from the Karen National Union and signed…

Severe flooding in Karen State has displaced tens of thousands as the Emergency Assistance and Relief Team (EART) calls for help to deliver aid to those families worst affected. Since late July, over 33,000 people have been displaced due to the flooding in Karen State, Burma. Hundreds of families have had their homes completely destroyed, as floodwaters ruined rice fields,…

The Moei River breeched its banks and flooded the Burma border town of Myawaddy and as many as 5,000 residents homes were affected by the floodwaters. It is estimated that as many as 25,000 people in Karen State have been made homeless by the floods. Sources from a community-based group who are helping the flood victims said that the water…

In an effort to protect lands that were confiscated or stolen for recent development projects and business development in Karen State, the Karen National Union is working on a land policy that will then be proposed to the Burma government. A KNU source said that the organization would modify its current land policy that had been set up to protect…

The Karen Community Association UK (KCA UK) has called for Prime Minister David Cameron to pressure President Thein Sein to withdraw his soldiers from ethnic states in order to demonstrate he is serious about improving human rights. Despite a ceasefire agreement being reached between the Government and the Karen National Union (KNU) in 2012, human rights violations including forced labour,…