Karen News

A Human rights organization has called for the release of a Rohingya activist and politician, Kyaw Hla Aung, 74, who has been detained by authorities for 13 months. Fortify Rights, based in South East Asia, urged Burma’s government to “immediately and unconditionally” release Kyaw Hla Aung and criticized the detention because the prosecution had “repeatedly failed to produce witnesses’ in…

A coalition of Shan community-based-organizations has urged the United States to pressure Burma government to stop its military offensives in Shan State. In a formal letter addressed to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, the coalition of Shan CBO’s said that new Burma Army offensives were causing hundreds of villagers to flee their homes in terror. “We are now gravely…

Poe Cho lies small on the floor of the children’s ward at Mae Tao Clinic. His tiny body has been stilled by dengue fever. Poe Cho, 7, was infected by dengue when bitten by the Aedes mosquito while staying at the Yaw Bu Temple in Myawaddy. For three days, Poe Cho, fought against the headaches, fever, aching joints and general…

About 90 representatives from 16 ethnic armed organizations reached a general agreement to sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement if the government accepts a federal union, equality and ethnic rights for self-determination. The agreement was reached during the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) members’ summit held from July 25 to 29 at the Kachin town of Laiza, headquarters of a NCCT’s…

In a decision criticized by human rights groups, eight ethnic Chin activists were convicted under Burma’s controversial Peaceful Assembly and Peaceful Procession Act on Wednesday 23 July. The Chin Human Rights Ogranisation said in a statement that the activists were given the choice of going to prison or each paying a fine of 30,000 Kyat, having been convicted of contravening…

Burma’s much lauded reforms, including the release of opposition politician Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, are being undermined by a crackdown on newly gained press freedoms, civil war, anti-Muslim violence and corruption, a report by the New York based International Center for Transitional Justice has warned. “The spread of anti-Muslim violence to Mandalay and the recent harsh sentencing of some…

When Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha announced on July 11 that the Thai refugee camps on the Thai-Myanmar border would be emptied, many wondered if there really is new resolve by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to repatriate the 130,000 Myanmar refugees who have been living in Thailand for many years. Gen Prayuth cited national security as the reason…

An alliance of Karen armed groups have got together to start a crack down on the use of illicit drugs in Karen State. The Unity Committee of Karen Armed Groups formed the alliance now known as the Anti-Narcotic Joint Committee on July 15. The alliance consists of six Karen armed groups was set up to tackle drug use and drug…

The Karen National Union (KNU) has chosen five leaders to represent it at the upcoming Ethnic Armed Organization Conference in the Kachin Town of Laiza on July 24. The conference is being held to discuss the proposed nationwide ceasefire agreement and the KNU delegation, will be led by its Chairperson, General Mutu Sae Poe. The Ethnic Armed Organization Conference will…

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners has said in a statement that Burma’s government is suppressing the country’s press in ways reminiscent of the country’s previous military dictatorship. The AAPP statement referred to the sentencing of five journalists from Unity Weekly to 10 years imprisonment for allegedly disclosing state secrets and the detainment of a further five journalists from Bi…