Karen News

Ongoing military operations by the Burma Army and government militia against DKBA forces are a threat to the peace process, Karen military leaders and community organisations warn. Karen Rivers Watch have blamed the Hat Gyi dam project in Karen State as igniting the latest armed clashes, which have seen thousands of local civilians displaced and fierce running gun battles. Naw…

Representatives of the Karen National Union are holding a series of meetings with refugees at the nine Thai border camps to inform them about the peace process taking place inside the country. The KNU team, led by Padoh Naw Zipporah Sein, vice chairperson, held a series of public meetings on September 20 and 21 at Mae La refugee camp, the…

Villagers claim that as a result of the recent armed conflict between the Palaung and Shan armed groups in Kyaukme Township of Shan State has been the increase in drug use and the availability of narcotic drugs for sale are now easier to find. A villager from Mangsat said, “During this month, over half the youth population have used it…

Government troops claim they have now taken control of the Mae Tha Waw area in Karen State following weeks of intense fighting. The fighting was between the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army and the Burma Army and its militia, the Border Guard Force (BGF). A BGF officer on September 19, claimed that the government has taken control over the road link…

The Karen traditional Don Dance has been included in the Burma National Performing Arts competition that has been held for over 20-years. The inclusion of the ethnic performing arts, particularly ethnic traditional dances, were discussed at the recent meeting of the competition convening committee where Karen and Rakhine traditional dances were voted to be included, according to a senior official…

Burmese Government have been criticised by a frontline human rights organisation after a village in Chin State was bulldozed. Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian organisation which delivers aid to ethnic areas throughout Burma, said that the village, which is called Bualpui, was bulldozed on August 31st, FBR said that Bualpui village has a population of around 380 people. “No compensation…

The Karen National Union has issued a public statement today, September 13, objecting to and calling for an end to fighting in Mae Tha Wor between the the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and the government’s military and its militias. The KNU’s statement said that the current military operation jointly carried out by the Burma Army and its militia, the…

The Karen People’s Party (KPP) has formally submitted a proposal for constitutional reform with the object of making the State Chief Ministers elected by the people, rather than appointed by the government of the day, as is the case now. Nant Khin Aye Oo, from the KPP, said: “The people know those who are good and intelligent in their own…

As many as 2,000 villagers from 12 villages in Mae Tha Wor areas have fled their villages in fear of being caught in the crossfire between the Burma army, Government backed militia the Border Guard Force (BGF) and the ethnic Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) troops. Armed skirmishes between BGF and DKBA forces have intensified in recent days in a…

The New York based human rights organisation Human Rights Watch has called on the US Government to retain ‘key sanctions’ in order to keep pressure on the Burmese military to reform. “US sanctions are focused on the Burmese military and its cronies, not the people of Burma,” John Sifton, Asia advocacy director at HRW said in a statement, “The sanctions…