Peacetalk

The Karen National Union President, Saw Tamla Baw, speaking on the 63rd Anniversary of Karen National Revolution remembered the sacrifice his people had made since the armed resistance had begun in 1949. The KNU president used the occasion to call for national unity among ethnic people and democratic forces, the release of all political prisoners and to remain vigilant during…

The New Mon State Party has signed a preliminary ceasefire agreement with the Burma government delegation yesterday. The NMSP seven member delegation was led by its Vice-Chairman, Nai Rot Sa, and met with representatives of the Burma government, led by Railways Minister Aung Min, at the Strand Hotel in Moulmein, Mon State where the ceasefire agreement paper was signed. After…

The participation of the Karen people in the decision-making process at the national level is key in preventing the Karen from being subjected to on-going forms of oppression and exploitation by the military dominated Burma government. The Karen National Union (KNU) and the Burmese government’s decision to sign the ceasefire agreement are hopeful first steps towards finding a solution to…

The Karen Women’s Organisation released a statement today to say they had formed a peace committee, in accordance with the United Nations Security Council Recommendation 1325, to ensure women are represented during the peace process with the Burma Government. The Karen Women Organization statement was issued as a result of discussions held during its 2nd Central Standing Committee’s meeting after…

The Karen National Union (KNU) made public decisions at an emergency meeting by its Central Committee this week about recent and future ‘peace talks’ with the Burma government. The KNU emergency meeting, held at a secret location in Karen State was attended by a total of 38 representatives, 35 Central Committee members and three specially invited representatives. The KNU statement…

The recent first-round of ‘peace talks’ between the Karen National Union and the Burma government in Pa-an on 12th January raised a lot of expectations within the international community, the Burmese community and among Karen people living inside Burma and those living overseas. In a series of interviews, Karen people shared with Karen News their opinion, their hopes and thoughts…

A breakaway Karen armed group, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, said in a public statement that they welcomed the recent ‘peace talks’ between the Karen National Union and the Burma government, but warned that the if the ‘talks’ are to succeed KNU fighters will have to stop their attacks on the Burma Army in Brigade 6. The statement issued from…

The Karen National Union says at the next round of ‘peace talks’ with the Burma government they will demand the release of Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung – the jailed KNU central executive member now serving a 17-year jail sentence in Burma’s notorious Insein Prison. Padoh Saw David Taw, secretary of the KNU’s Peace Committee said. “We will demand at the…

A large turnout of Mon political leaders, civil society groups, representative from overseas and delegates from the Thai-Burma border attended the 6th Mon Affairs Union (MAU) Conference in Three Pagoda Township last week. Conference attendees urged the New Mon State Party to hold ‘peace talks’ with the Burma government. An MAU conference attendee told Karen News. “The NMSP should continue…

The Burma government has been busy pushing its peace talk agenda with the country’s armed opposition groups. Last week, government ‘peace talk’ delegations held a series of meetings with Mon representatives, Kachin and members of the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF) on 17th January. The government’s delegation was led by former Karen State chairman, Colonel Saw Khin Soe, who…