Karen News

A community-based human rights organisation alleges that Burma Army soldiers stationed in Shan State are committing grave human rights violations. The Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) said in a public statement that Burma Army forces in Shan State have used “torture, extrajudicial killings, and [the] use of civilians as human shields.” SHRF said that Burma Army had launched a new…

Mae Tao Clinic located in the Thai border town of Mae Sot in Tak Province officially moved to a new purposed built hospital in an effort to keep providing care to people from Burma unable to access the country’s failed healthcare system. Dr. Cynthia Maung, the founder and director of Mae Tao clinic told reporters at the new clinic’s opening…

Karen representatives from various parts of Burma and overseas got together in move to prepare for forthcoming national peace talks pointed out that despite Burma having democratically elected government the military continues to hold power under the country’s current constitution. More than 150 Karen representatives traveled to the Karen National Union’s Law Khee Lar, Hpa-an District to discuss major issues…

Last year’s floods and other extreme weather events have prompted many farmers in Ayeyarwady Delta to leave some of their land fallow. ZALUN Township, Ayeyarwady Region — Aung Kywe remembers how he had to stand by helplessly last year when massive floods in the wake of Cyclone Komen affected Ayeyarwady Delta and destroyed half of his 14 acres of paddy.…

Karen National Union leaders has called for respective state and regional governments to recognized land rights and policies that are already in place for decades in ethnic areas and agreed to by both ethnic communities and armed groups. Padoh Mahn Mahn, the joint general secretary of the Karen National Union made the call to the government during the launch of…

The Karen Youth Organization celebrated its 27th anniversary at Natchaung Village in Kyainseikgyi Township on 25 May where its leader said that today’s Karen youth are not aware of the important of the organizations existence. The KYO Day was attended by as many as 100 people, including Karen National Union leaders and Karen youth leaders. The Karen Youth organization has…

Monsoon rains and heavy winds destroyed a Karen migrant school on the Thai Burma border last week. The school, Kwe Ka Baung, in Mae Sot in Thailand’s Tak Province, had its administration office and equipment wrecked by a twister on the 21st of May, during a heavy rainstorm. A Kwe Ka Baung school official told Karen News that they are…

For the first time, a sport event for people with disabilities was held on May 17 in Hpa-an Karen State. Organisers said the aim of the event was to encourage the community to recognize the value of people with disabilities. Myanmar Red Cross, Australia Red Cross, and the Karen Handicap Sports Committee worked together to hold the inaugural Disabled Sport…

As part of its policy development intended to contribute to the peace process political negotiations, the Ethnic National Affairs Center (ENAC) held a meeting with Karen political and civil organizations to discuss about the drafted ethnic affair policies. The ENAC, formed in 2013 describes itself as an independent resource, training, and education center supporting the peace process and development of…

Villagers in Karen State are upset tunnels dug on their land for international and local telecommunication companies was done without permission. Naung Ka Myaing villagers in Hpa-an township, Karen State are now demanding and official clarification and paperwork about the cable tunnel digging project that was carried out on their farmlands and backyards The tunnel excavation was carried out by…