Peacetalk

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…

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…

The recent development within the KNU’s leadership has sent viral shock wave across the Karen communities both inside and abroad. The revelation that KNLA’s top leader, some brigade commanders, district officials and KNU Central committees journeyed to Pan-An to open a liaison office without KNU’s approval and the subsequent dismissal of three senior members, including the commander-in-chief, has made Karen…

The European Karen Network (EKN) urged the Burmese government and international aid donors not to seek to divide the Karen under the guise of ‘peace-talk’ initiatives. An EKN released a statement paper following the Karen National Union’s dismissal of three of its leaders for failing to adhere to its principles. The three leaders dismissed for organizational misconduct are – Karen…

The Karen National Union Executive Committee has dismissed the head of its army, and two other KNU leaders for breaching its ‘peace-talk’ protocols. The three dissenting leaders are General Mutu Say Poe, the Karen National Liberation Army’s General-Officer-in-Command, Padoh Saw David Taw, Chief of the Justice Department and Padoh Saw Roger Khin, Chief of Health and Welfare Department. The three-sacked…

Today the Karen National Union issued an extraordinary statement detailing what appears to be a major split in their organization. The news of a split comes at a bad time for the Karen as their political organization is holding a series of high-level peace-talks with the Burmese government. The KNU statement said, “Lt. General Mutu Say Po, together with a…

The Karen National Union announced in a media statement that its third round of ‘peace-talks’ with the Burmese Government was a success and the two sides will meet again later this year. The KNU official statement was released on September 4 after the latest ‘peace-talks’ held in Hpa-An Town, two days ago. Naw May Oo Mutraw, a spokesperson with the…

A military ceasefire Code of Conduct was the first and the main issue discussed during the third round of peace-talks held between the Karen National Union and the Burma government at the Zwekabin Hotel in Hpa-an Town, Karen State yesterday. Both the KNU and government presented their draft Code of Conduct to each other for an in-depth discussion of the…

The Karen National Union (KNU) and the Burma Government announced today that they have agreed on the dates and location for the third round of their ‘peace-talk’ negotiation. The two parties finally agreed to meet in Hpan-an, Karen State on September 3rd and 4th after the Burma Government had earlier postponed the ‘peace-talks’ that were originally scheduled for August 27th…

As many as 600 people attended the Karen National Union fourth liaison office opening ceremony in Myawaddy, Karen State that will serve as the main communication hub for the Burma Army and the Karen National Liberation Army’s 6th and 7th Brigade areas. During the opening ceremony, the government’s Railway Minister U Aung Min said that he hoped and believed that…