Karen villager

15,000 Karen people from villages affected by conflict got together to voice their concerns to their community leaders about unfettered developments earmarked for Karen State during the peace process negotiations. The people’s forum ran from October 26 to 28 and was held in Kyain Seikgyi Township, Karen State. The 15,000 villagers called for “the suspension of all large scale economic…

The Karen National Union stopped the Italian-Thai Development Company after one of its bulldozers ‘cleared’ an ancient pagoda near the Karen village of Myitta while constructing the Dawei-Kanchanaburi highway east of Dawei, Tenasserim Division. Villagers believe the Italian-Thai Development Company bulldozer may have accidently destroyed the pagoda that was obscured by bushland. A Myitta villager reported the destruction of the…

Flooding caused by the Thauk Ye Khat hydropower project in Toungoo Township, Bago has stopped local villagers trading. The dam project finished on 13 October and has since block the waterways in the Toungoo Township area. Padoh Saw Eh Wah, the Karen National Union chairman in the Toungoo District told Karen News that the Platwa Bridge between Bawgali and Toungoo…

Pyaw Pyo villagers claim polluted water from the Heinda Mine, in the Dawei District in southern Burma, has made their lives unbearable. Daw Aye Ye, from Pyaw Pyo village told Karen News. “My house is flooded and all of my plantation is gone. My well that I used to use is now ruined and I have to dig for water…

A Democratic Karen Buddhist Army platoon commander shot and wounded a villager from Htee Te Leh village in Kawkariek Township. The shot villager, Saw Du Du, was taken to across the Thai Burma border to a hospital in Umphang District. The incident happened last on Saturday, September 22, at 7am after an altercation between the DKBA commander and the villager.…

Burma’s Ministry of Immigration, working together with the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), has issued 350 people living in the remote rural area of Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State with national identity cards. The joint country project to distribute identity cards is known as the Moe Pwint program and is located in a monastery in Kwan Ta (Ta Waw Ta) village. The…

Asian World Company, the biggest infrastructure and construction company in Burma says it will re-house a hundred families relocated from Htone Bo village, because of the construction of a hydro-power dam project on the Palet River. Htone Bo village is located 14 miles from Taungoo Town in Pago Division. Mr Ko Si Thu, an official from the Asian World Company…

It is early morning in Wa Su Ko village. It is quiet. Mist from the monsoon rains necklace the surrounding mountains. The small village is located east of the Burma town of Tavoy. A small boy dressed in a big, dirty white shirt and yellow shorts is carrying a traditional Karen bamboo fish basket trap. The boy is returning from…

Karen villagers are being scared off from using the newly opened Karen National Union (KNU) liaison office in Tavoy town in Southern Burma, as they fear their personal data is recorded and then given to Burmese military intelligence. Saw David, a Karen from Tavoy Town spoke to Karen News of his fears. “I’m afraid to go back to the KNU…

Despite a ceasefire agreement being in place between Karen soldiers and the Burma Army, fighting broke out in Thandaung Township, Karen State on 27th June. The Karen National Union accuse the Burma Army’s Infantry Battalion 1, under the command of Division 66, for violating the ceasefire agreement and crossing into KNU controlled territory and starting the fighting. Padoh Saw Eh…