Karen villager

The Karen Women Empowerment Group (KWEG), a community based group in Hpa-an ran a training for villagers to help them understand how to vote and what their rights are related to elections. The three-day training workshop was held from 24 to 26 of March at the KWEG office in Hpa-an. The training was attended by 20 villagers from Hpa-an, Kawkareik,…

A Karen Human Right Groups report released on March 2nd accuses the Burma Army of targeting villagers with artillery shells in Northern Karen State. KHRG allege the government’s military directed its artillery bombardment on villagers in Papun Township. The KHRG report said that Burma Army indiscriminately fired artillery shells towards where villagers in the Saw Muh Plaw village tract were…

Primary school students from Htee Klo Thaw village in Hlaingbwe Township will be starting the 2015 academic year in a new school. The Karen Community Based Network Group is finalizing the school construction project to have it ready for the students. The KCBNG, are based in the East Dawna Ranges, began its school construction project in November 2014 with funding…

As many as 2,000 people joined the celebration of Karen New Year of 2754 and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army’s 20th formation day that was organized at DKBA’s Sone Si Myaing headquarter in Karen State. Karen villagers, representatives from political parties, Karen State government officials and civil society groups attended the Karen New Year celebration that falls on the 21st…

Retired middle school headmaster Saw Maung Tote, an organizer and a committee member of the Karen Literature and Culture Committee in Rangoon, said the Ministry of Education Department has not given permission to teach S’gaw Karen Literature in Mawbi state schools. “The Karen Literature and Culture committee in Mawbi have gathered the number of students who want to learn Karen…

During a conference for tourism representatives, the Karen State Chief Minister said the state government would spend 80million kyat to solve the insufficient drinking water problems facing Thandaung Gyi Township in Karen State. Thandaung Gyi Township representative, Saw Taw Palae, said the Chief Minister of the state responded to do a request made by local representatives of Thandaung Tourism Development…

Representatives from civil society groups, religious leaders and villages in the Tanitharyi Division have sent a petition letter to both the government’s Division Chief Minister and the Karen National Union’s Megui/Tavoy District chairperson to try to get development projects stopped that villagers claim are health hazards. The petition sent on October 13, was signed by 125 representatives from 46 villages,…

A new clinic that will provide free primary health care to villagers in Kawkareik Township is at its final construction stage and will soon be ready to receive patients. The clinic is being built in Nan Shwe Mone village, Kawkareik Township under the initiative of the Karen National Union, will give free treatment and healthcare services to villagers from rural…

The Karen political party, the Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party (PSDP), has stated its opposition to the proportional representation (PR) voting system, which was endorsed by Burma’s parliament on June 11 this year. The PSDP claimed that the new voting process would needlessly complicate the political system for the upcoming 2015 national elections. The PSDP’s chairperson Mahn Aung Pyi Soe spoke to…

Government officials and local Karen National Union officials have decided to let villagers decide if a cement factory is to be built in their area. Following strong opposition by the villagers against the proposed cement factory planned for the Mi Kayin village area, Hpa-an, Karen State, the KNU and government officials told a public meeting that it was now up…