Karen villager

More than 2,000 internally displaced Karen people felt secure enough to celebrate the Karen National Day in Mutraw District, Northern Karen State. For the first time, on February 11, 2013 over 2,300 displaced Karen villagers taking refuge in Ei Tu Hta internally displaced camp on the banks of the Salween River celebrated Karen National Day. Naw Lah Say Wah, a…

Despite ceasefire agreements the Burma is forcing Karen civilians to use their private vehicles to transport military supplies to and from army camps. Villagers allege that last week the Burma Army forcibly took three civilian pickup trucks in the Waw Lay area, Myawaddy Township in Karen State to transport supplies. Burma Army troops from 310th and 275th Infantry Battalions, under…

Since October 26, Karen National Union representatives and members of community-based-groups have attended the KNU 15th Congress to vote in a new executive, department heads and the central standing committee. Karen News spoke to two KNU representatives attending the Congress about the changes that the ceasefire in Karen State has brought. Saw Klo Mutraw is an officer with the Karen…

An independent human rights organization, Karen Human Rights Group have reported that thousands of unexploded landmines are a daily threat to the lives of the civilian population and their livestock in Karen State. KHRG said that in Nabu Township, Pa-an District area that a 21-year-old man was killed and another 40-year-old male lost a leg in different landmine incidents between…

Karen villagers working in their rice fields and plantations were terrified when jet fighters starting dropping bombs and machine-gunning the area. Government authorities failed to warn citizens that the jet fighters were taking part in a military training exercise in the Taungoo District. Villagers in the Tantabin Township region of Taungoo District said they were frightened by the explosions made…

The Karen National Union in Southern Burma says a coal extraction operation near Karen villages in eastern Tavoy is not welcome. Villagers are concerned it could destroy most of their plantations. Saw Paul Naw, the Karen National Union’s (KNU) Ka Ser Doh Township official spoke to Karen News. “In September, 2012, a Thai company, East Star, paid compensation for the…

The Karen National Union claim move by the Burma Army to force Karen villagers to attend militia training will damage trust between the two sides during ongoing ‘peacetalks’. The KNU alleges that the Burma Army has ordered Karen villagers in Southern Burma to attend military training and then intends to supply them with weapons. According to a KNU’s Mergui-Tavoy District…

An independent human rights organisation has reported that the ceasefire between the government and the Karen national union has brought respite for villagers caught in the 60-year conflict. In the ten months since a preliminary ceasefire agreement was reached between representatives of the Government of Burma and the Karen National Union (KNU), local communities have seen a marked decrease in…

Villagers in Myawaddy Township, Dooplaya District, Karen State, have mixed feelings about road building taking place in their area. Villagers say responsible development that brings benefits to all the people is welcome, but they worry that there is a lack of consultation or planning being done. Htee Mu Hta village is not unlike other communities in Karen State at rice…

Karen villagers have accused the Border Guard Force, a militia under the control of the government military, of forcibly recruiting villagers. The Border Guard Force (BGF) militia in the Nabu area, Hlaingbwe Township Karen State is alleged to have conscripted civilians since late October 2012. Villagers alleged that the four BGF battalions – 1017, 1018, 1019 and 1020 based in…