Karen

The Australian Karen Organization rallied outside the Burmese Embassy in Canberra to protest against the Burma Army’s recent attacks on villages in Karen State. Members of the Australian Karen community travelled from Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne to protest. The Australian Karen organization said in a media statement that the Canberra demonstration was part of a Global Karen Protest against attacks…

Karen traditional musicians have urged the Karen people to preserve Karen traditional music since the majority of the Karen people are not interested in playing the Karen traditional musical instruments. Saw Mike Aung Kho, who plays Gain (Migyaung Hlyar) and Khanar (zither), told Karen News on May 14 that the number of people who can play traditional musical instruments has…

Local residents want the authorities to build a bridge over the Win Yaw River to connect the eastern side of the river with Kale-Tagundaing administrative unit in Win Yaw area under Kyainseikgyi Township, Karen State. Kwankathaung Village Administrator U Tin Win Aung told Karen News on April 23 that the residents from over 20 villages in the eastern side of…

A new town established by the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Karen State government for displaced residents in Myawaddy District, Karen State is currently suffering from water shortage. Water is distributed to Lay Kay Kaw New Town (Myothit) through the pipelines from Taung Kone (locally known as Kyauk Gu), which is around three miles from the new town. The…

Karen Students attending government schools in the Pago (Pegu) region will be taught Karen language subject up to Grade 4 in 2018-19 academic year. In the previous academic year, the Karen language, as a subject was taught only up to grade 3 students. Saw Augustine Khu, Communication Officer of the Pago Karen Literacy and Culture Committee, told Karen News, that…

The Western Pwo Karen Literature Support Youth Group has provided textbooks and teaching aids to 1,765 Western Pwo Karen (Phalon) teachers from eight townships in the Ayeyarwaddy Region. The group’s campaign officer Sa Khwar Khwar said the group has started providing the aids since March with the aim to promote Western Pwo Karen literature, which has become weakened. “The literature…

The Karen Women’s Organization (KWO) has received this year’s ‘Women of Change Award’ from the U.S. Embassy in Myanmar on March 22 evening. On behalf of their organization, Naw Wah Khu Shee and Naw Say Say from the KWO’s central standing committee attended the reward ceremony at the U.S. Ambassador’s home on Pyay Road in Yangon. Over 50 guests including…

Villagers in the Northern District of Karen State on the Thai-Burma border gathered along the Salween River for the International Day of Action for Rivers and Against Dams. On March 14, the Karen River Network organized event to call for “No Dams” near the Ei Tu Hta internally displaced peoples’ camp on the banks of the Salween River in Mutraw…

The Karen National Democratic Party (KNDP), a newly merged party of Karen political parties, has elected its central executive committee in Karen State’s captial Hpa-An yesterday (March 12). A total of 32 candidates with four candidates each from former Karen parties – Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party (PSDP), the Karen Democratic Party (KDP), the Karen State Democracy and Development Party (KSDDP), and…

Karen Police burned confiscated methamphetamine tablets and opium in its attempts to fight illicit drug use. The Karen National Police Force (KNPF) under the Interior Department of the Karen National Union in Doo Pla Ya District, destroyed thousands of methamphetamine tablets (Ya Ma) and opium in an attempt to decrease the use of drugs in the area. Over ten thousand…