Karen News

Dr Timothy Laklem calls for Karen unity and self-determination and for all ethnic people to be treated equally within a democratic and federal union of Burma. It is not my intention in this ‘opinion piece’ to blame, but rather to give a strong reminder to those negotiating for peace, that whatever we do now can turn the tide of history…

In an interview with Karen News, Nan Dah Eh Kler, Chairperson of the Karen Women Organization (KWO), argued that the Burma’s Government’s reform process was being undermined by a culture of impunity and sexual violence in the Burma Army. Referring to a report released by the Women’s League of Burma (WLB), which documented over 100 cases of sexual violence committed…

The British Government has been criticized by a prominent human rights advocacy group after it’s decision to fund military training for the Burma Army, who have been accused of ongoing human rights violations. In a report titled ‘Training War Criminals? – British Training of the Burmese Army’, Burma Campaign UK said the decision to spend at least £87,850 (approximately 4.7…

UNICEF has pointed out that Burma’s reformist government, led by President and ex-general Thein Sein, has failed to adequately increase education and health spending and to protect child rights, as government funds continue to be dominated by defence spending. Two comprehensive 2013 reports by UNICEF noted that while Burma’s budget had increased by 81% in the last two years, health…

More than 100 women and girls have been raped by Burma’s military since 2010, according to a report released by the Women’s League of Burma. The Thailand-based Women’s Leaugue of Burma (WLB) said in a report released today that 47 of the cases documented were gang rapes and 28 of the women were either killed or later died of their…

Government troops fired artillery shells into Karen village areas in Northern Papun Township, KNU sources told Karen News. No villagers were injured in the shelling. On January 7, Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) #401 fired at least three artillery shells into civilian areas in Northern Papun Township, KNU sources from Papun District told Karen News. Karen News is led…

Karen representatives from across Burma held a two-day forum from January 9 to 10, in Hpa-An, Karen State, with the objective of “forming a united position of all the Karen nationals of Burma, acquiring true Karen population figures and using the correct names of Karen sub-groups for the 2014 Population Census Enumeration.” Karen State is officially called ‘Kayin State’ by…

National League of Democracy official confirmed to Karen News that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will travel to Karen State in the third week of January 2014. Nan Khin Htwey Myint, an executive from the NLD party, the political party that Suu Kyi leads, told Karen News that Suu Kyi was on a goodwill visit to the State to canvass…

The sound of children singing resounds from Klay Poe Klo School in Karen State, Burma. Naw Htoo La Paw smiles as the song finishes, her youngest child held in one arm. Kids bustle out of the classroom – a single, open room with wooden benches – heading for lunch. Htoo La Paw is one of four teachers at Klay Poe…

The Border Consortium, which delivers aid to the refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border that are home to around 130,000 refugees, has clarified its policy on rice ration cuts to Karen News and denied that the cuts are intended to encourage the return of refugees to Burma. The Border Consortium said that rice cuts would occur in seven out of…