Thein Sein Government

The Thailand based Human Rights Education Institute of Burma said they will meet in the near future with the Myanmar Human Right Commission after being invited to do so recently by Railways Minister, Aung Min. U Aung Myo Min, the HREIB director told Karen News. “Myanmar still has a bad reputation in regard to human right abuses and needs to…

Burma’s President, U Thein Sein, granted an amnesty on Tuesday that saw the release of 24 political prisoners out of a total of 80 prisoners who were freed. Ko Tate Naing, secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) based on the Thai-Burma, confirmed the release of political prisoners to Karen News. “According to our latest source list, there…

The Burma government’s peace-talk delegation led by Railway Minister U Aung Min, today made an early morning visit to Dr Cynthia Maung’s Mae Tao Clinic in the border town of Mae Sot, Thailand. U Aung Min’s 6am visit followed-up on his yesterday meet with the Karen National Union and Dr. Cynthia Maung, the Minister said today’s visit was to get…

Residents in Burma’s Tenasserim Division claim government authorities have begun registering thousands of illegally imported motorbikes from Thailand. Saw David, a resident from Dawei Town spoke to Karen News. “The Land Transportation Department office in Dawei announced it began registering illegal or unregistered motorbikes in Tenasserim Division, from Tuesday, June 5. The registry in Dawei Town expects it will take…

Karen National Union and Burma government representatives, in what is a historic first, attended a literature and culture training ceremony at Koh Koh village in Myawaddy Township. Padoh Saw Ah Toe, head of the KNU Forestry Department, gave the closing ceremony speech and said that new generation had an important role in maintaining Karen literature and culture as well as…

The Karen National Union (KNU) are to ask the Burma Government to clarify the role of business groups involved as advisors in the ‘peace talk’ negotiations. The KNU has questioned the motives of the business advisors involvement in the ceasefire talks after concerned Karen people raised questions about the potential of a conflict of interest. Karen observers said some of…

The Karen National Union says human rights violations and military related issues will be discussed with the Burma government in the next round of ‘peace talks’ planned for later this month. It was statement by some of the KNU’s Peace Negotiation Team members who were held a discussion and press conference with some NGOs and media at Bangkok about update…

Villagers in the Three Pagoda Pass area say government immigration officials issuing identity cards to residents from villages from around the Karen State border town in record time. Residents say township immigration officials are providing ID cards and household registrations to all civilians, both urban and rural, who apply for the documentation. Individuals and families are turning up in droves…

Nai Yekkha and Nai Myo Twe from New Mon State Party who were serving life sentences in Burma’s notorious jails were released on April 30. Burma government representatives, Union Minister for Electric Power, U Zaw Min, and the Mon State Prime Minister handed the two prominent political prisoners to Nai Htaw Mon, the chairman of the NMSP in Moulmein Town.…

British Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit to Burma this week is the highest-level visit by a Western leader to the strife-torn country since United States secretary-of-state Hillary Clinton briefly visited in November last year. But despite reforms that have so far taken place, including allowing the leading opposition party, the NLD, to compete in April’s by-elections, human rights abuses are…