Karen News

Australia’s Karen community gathered in Sydney on Saturday to mark the 66th year of armed struggle against successive military regimes in Burma. “The celebration today is to empower the Karen community of Australia and to raise awareness about the human rights situation in Burma,” Saw Lwin Oo, the National President of Australia’s Karen Organisation said, standing beside an Australian flag…

Burma’s path to democratic reform and improved human rights stalled in 2014, Human Rights Watch warned in its latest world report. The New York based human rights organisation cited the widespread persecution of Burma’s ethnic Rohingya that has become a humanitarian crisis, the military’s ongoing dominance in the country’s politics, and little improvement in government transparency before the planned 2015…

Karen people have started to make their annual pilgrimage to the Karen National Liberation Army 7th Brigade’s headquarter in Hpa-an district to commemorate the 66th Anniversary of the beginning of its resistance against the former Burma military regime. The Karen Resistance Day falls on 31st January and is celebrated every year in Karen National Union controlled territory. This year, the…

Primary school students from Htee Klo Thaw village in Hlaingbwe Township will be starting the 2015 academic year in a new school. The Karen Community Based Network Group is finalizing the school construction project to have it ready for the students. The KCBNG, are based in the East Dawna Ranges, began its school construction project in November 2014 with funding…

A memorial service was held for General Bo Mya, the late chairman of the Karen National Union and head of its armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army and for his oldest son, Saw Nay Kaw. General Bo Mya served the Karen struggle since the 1940’s until his death in 2006. The worship service was held on January 20 at…

The London based human rights advocacy organization, Burma Campaign UK, confirmed reports that two ethnic Kachin teachers were raped by Burma Army soldiers 19th and 20thJanuary. In a media statement Burma Campaign UK called on the British government to use its Preventing Sexual Violence Initiative and send a team to Burma “to investigate the case.” Burma Campaign UK urged the…

The United Nation High Commission for Refugees and the Thai Ministry of Interior are planning a joint exercise to verify refugee population in the nine camps along the Thai-Burma border in January, according to sources from camp service providers. Saw Robert Htwe, chairperson of the Karen Refugee Committee confirmed to Karen News about the planned verification process. “The UNHCR and…

Dr. Cynthia Maung, founder of the Mae Tao Clinic on the Thai-Burma border have been announced the joint winner of South Korean POSCO TJ Park Prize for 2015. Dr Cynthia award was in the category of Community Development & Philanthropy awarded by POSCO TJ Park Foundation. A letter of announcement and invitation to receive the award was sent to Dr.…

The New York based Human Rights Watch called on the Burmese government to amend citizenship law, claiming it “fuels repression” and denies basic human rights to the country’s ethnic Rohingya minority. Brad Adams, HRW’s Asia director, said the law entrenched discrimination and must be changed. “Burma’s discriminatory citizenship law not only deprives Rohingya of citizenship, but for decades has encouraged…

A meeting between villagers, company officials and officials from both the Karen National Union and the government was held on Tuesday, January 6 to discuss and resolve problems of land destruction caused by coal mining in Southern Burma’s Tanitharyi Division. Coal mining carried out by May Flower company, Thai Asset Company and East Star Company in the area of Ban…