Karen

Young Karen people who fled conflict in their homeland in Burma and resettled in Australia are able to learn, write and speak their own language. Victoria State, appreciate and happy for being able to maintain their language through the official Karen language class. The Australia government first recognized and introduced into state schools the teaching of the Karen language five…

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…

A Karen woman who resettled to Australia from Burma in 1999 received an award for her work in the community from the Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. Say Htoo Eh Moero received recognition for her work with the Australian Karen community when she was presented with the ‘Above and Beyond’ Award from Prime Minister Julia Gillard last week. Say Htoo…

Karen people are relieved that the Karen National Union have found after intense discussion peaceful solutions to resolve the organisations internal conflict. The KNU released a statement on Saturday 27 October that said it had to its member satisfaction resolved its recent internal rifts and that “the KNU leaders agree to march on in accordance to the basic principles and…

The Karen Nation Union’s Central Standing Committee released a statement following its emergency meeting held on October 25-26th that it had reappointed its recently dismissed leaders. The KNU meeting was attended by 40 Central Standing Committee and Central Standing Committee Candidates(CSCC) members and resolved the differences between the two factions that have recently emerged that threatened to divide the KNU…

Karen community organizations, people and religious leaders in Burma have called for the Karen National Union (KNU) to resolve its internal conflict, unite and to continue its ongoing ‘peace-talks’ with the Burma’s government. Representatives from different Karen social organizations, individuals and religions leaders were meeting for the third time to discuss how they could help, contribute and support the building…

As many as a thousand people turned out to pay their last respects at Padoh Saw David Taw’s funeral which was held at Thay Bay Hta in the Karen National Union 7th brigade. The crowd included David Taw’s family, officials from KNU and KNLA, Padoh Saw Ah Toe, Padoh Saw Roger Khin, Padoh Saw Thaw Thi Bwe, Padoh Kwe Htoo…

Small girls and boys in a variety of traditional Karen costumes – girls wear striped, white, blue and yellow dresses, while boys wear red. It is Saturday morning and the children gather in front of their wooden school, a basic structure that lacks walled classrooms. The children are primarily students. On normal schooldays the students wear a uniform of white…

Padoh David Taw, a Karen leader, died tonight at 10:30pm in Mingalardon military hospital in Rangoon. Padoh David Taw, aged 65, passed away after suffering from a long illness. The Burma government tonight (Sunday) will fly by helicopter, Padoh David Taw’s body to Karen State. On Monday morning, the Karen National Union will take Padoh David Taw’s body to their…

An attempt to reunify a recent division in the Karen National Union has made marked progress this week when both sides agreed to talk. Karen people and community-based-organizations around the world were shocked to read in the media that three KNU leaders had breached the political organizations ‘peace-talks’ protocols and were negotiating independently with the Burma government. Tension among the…