Karen News

Just over a year ago, the Karen National Union entered into negotiations with President Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government with the ultimate aim of attaining a democratic federal Union of Burma/Myanmar, wherein diverse ethnic nationalities equally enjoy a level of right to self-determination. From the start, there is a realization within the KNU that negotiations would entail compromises on the path…

Burma’s parliament, controlled by the military backed Union Solidarity and Development Party, voted against a proposal to form a Ministry to administrate ethnic affairs at a regional level has dismayed ethnic MPs. A proposal to form a Ministry of Ethnic Affair at the union level that was proposed by U Kyaw Din (a) U Htay Reh of Kayah [Karenni] State…

Padoh Saw Thamein Tun, a member of the Karen National Union’s Central Executive Committee explains to Karen News the significance of Karen National Day KNU Day is a very special issue for the whole of the Karen nation. There were many various Karen Organizations in the past. In 1881, the Karen National Association (KNA) became the first organization of the…

Villagers in the Kwingalay claim gold mining companies have taken over lands that they used for cultivation. Villagers allege that a Burmese, Thai and Chinese company based in Rangoon is overseeing contract gold mining projects in Karen National Union controlled areas, near Kwingalay village in Thaton Township, Mon State. Villagers say officials from the Karen National Union’s armed wing, the…

District police and officials arrested people working at a gambling facility in Myawaddy, Karen State, and then burnt the casino. The raid took place last weekend. The illegal casino was located in Section 4, near the Vow pagoda, was ordered to be destroyed by the Myawaddy District chairman, U Than Shwe and District police officer, U Aung Myint. A Myawaddy…

A new report – Losing Ground – by the Karen Human Rights Group documenting the land grabs by the Burma Army in Karen State was released this week in Bangkok at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club of Thailand. The report highlights cases of the Burma Army taking land in areas of Karen State, even though a ceasefire agreement was signed between…

State government officials from Mon and Karen States attended the opening ceremony for the Karen National Union’s sixth liaison office in Naung Bo village, Thaton Township, Mon State on March 5. As many as one thousand people attended the liaison office opening ceremony by the Union Minister, U Zayar Aung, the Chief Minister of Mon State, U Ohn Myint, the…

Htone Bo villagers have demanded that the Shwe Energy (Asia World) Company allow them to work in their lands in the project area of the Thauk Ye Khat 2 hydro-power-dam that is now producing electricity. The Htone Bo village, 14-miles from Taungoo Town, had been relocated due to the construction of the Thauk Ye Khat Dam. Villagers claim that they…

Karen villagers in the Pa-an Township area have managed to carve out a niche for themselves while stopping large construction companies from monopolizing the local quarrying business. According to villagers in the area since the government allowed residents to work the quarries in Pa-an Township, Karen State, local people are benefitting. Saw Kyaw Myint Naing, told to Karen News that…

Despite ceasefire arrangements villagers in Karen State are worried that unscrupulous local officials will force them off their farmland and business interests wanting the land for development projects. Recent cases of confiscated land in the Tontay Township region have seen local politicians take up the case on behalf of the villagers. Last week the Karen People’s Party said that it…