Karen News

The release of 19 Karen political prisoners has raised the hopes that the country’s remaining 800 prisoners of conscience will soon be freed. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoner (Burma) this weeksaid that on Monday, the Burma government released 514 prisoners under the criminal law procedure article 401 (1) and among those released, were 19 Karen political prisoners. The 19…

A leading political prisoner advocate group has cast doubts over the sincerity behind the reasons for the release of some of the country’s prisoners earlier this week. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoner (Burma) who have advocate on behalf of Burma’s political prisoners for more than a decade said in a media statement that President U Thein Sein’s amnesty granted…

A peak ethnic group has urged its member organizations, currently holding ‘peace-talks’ with the government, to stop all communications if the Burma Army continues its offensive against the Kachin. The Ethnic Nationalities Council (Union of Burma), an umbrella ethnic group, yesterday, issued a statement following their Third Annual Meeting (from September 11 to 12), held at a undisclosed area on…

Karen Community Based Organizations issued a position paper on the repatriation of refugees along the Thai-Burma border back to Burma saying it is critical that they are included in the process. The KCBO in a statement paper said that all pre-conditions should be met and procedures need to be in place before refugees are returned otherwise it will be against…

Villagers claim they are paying full amounts for a full electricity service they are not receiving. Residents from Larkar village claim that authorities require them to pay the full rate electricity bills even though the power is often cut-off. Larkar village is located on the western part of the Salween River in Hpa-an Township in Karen State. A woman Larkar…

Gunshots disrupted the elections of the political wing of the armed militia, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, when a former village head disagreed with the result. As a result of the election fiasco, General Saw Ler Pwe (also known as Bo Na Kham Mwe), the patron of the DKBA’s political wing, the KloHtooBaw Karen Organisation, released an official statement to…

Thai police have decided that the family of a Karen refugee killed in a road accident will be paid 235,000 baht compensation by the truck driver responsible for the woman’s death last week. Mae La refugee camp officials said Thai police have now settled the case and the truck owner involved in the incident that killed the woman will pay…

Karenni people from different regions are keen to learn a Karenni language created in 1955 by the former chairman of the Karenni National Progressive Party, Ku Htae Bu Peh, and mainly taught in Shadaw Township up until now. The KNPP explain that people from Loi Kaw and Demoso Townships have asked to learn the Karenni language. The KNPP are planning…

A humanitarian organisation that delivers aid to displaced communities in rural Burma reports that despite peace-talks between the Karen National Union and the Burma government armed clashes, forced labour and other abuses are still ongoing in Karen State. The organisation, the Free Burma Rangers has documented abuses by the government’s army and its militia allies in five districts in Karen…

The Karen National Union announced in a media statement that its third round of ‘peace-talks’ with the Burmese Government was a success and the two sides will meet again later this year. The KNU official statement was released on September 4 after the latest ‘peace-talks’ held in Hpa-An Town, two days ago. Naw May Oo Mutraw, a spokesperson with the…