Karen News

The Karenni National Progressive Party met and discussed with Community-Based-Organizations (CBO) from Loikaw Town in mid June to set up a ‘peace-talk’ monitoring group to keep tabs on the on-going talks between the government and the KNPP. in the Kayah State. The CBO initiative followed on from agreement reached between the KNPP and government representatives on June 9th.The KNPP put…

The Italian-Thai Development Company has made a second compensation payment to Karen villagers affected by the Dawei-Kanchanaburi road construction in eastern Tavoy Town. On June 8, the Italian-Thai Development Company and its partner, Max Myanmar, paid 15,582,240 Thai baht (4,93,750.47 US$)compensation to 20 villagers affected by the road between Myitta and Kaw Htee Lor (Thebyu Chaung). The villagers’ plantations were…

Residents in Burma’s Tenasserim Division claim government authorities have begun registering thousands of illegally imported motorbikes from Thailand. Saw David, a resident from Dawei Town spoke to Karen News. “The Land Transportation Department office in Dawei announced it began registering illegal or unregistered motorbikes in Tenasserim Division, from Tuesday, June 5. The registry in Dawei Town expects it will take…

The Karen People’s Forum has demanded the Burma government and the Karen National Union suspend all mega development projects in Karen State during the current peace negotiation process. The Karen People’s Forum and villagers representating 23 villages based on the Salween River met in Papun Township on June 5 for two days to discuss how they could be involved in…

Villagers living along the Dawei to Kanchanaburi road, in Southern Burma accused the Burma Army of illegally extorting money from them and for driving their motorbikes. Saw Eh, a local villager told Karen News. “From Mae Tha Mee Kee on the Thai-Burma border to Myitta village there are many Burma Army checkpoints that collect money from people going to and…

The Kachin Women Association Thailand released a report – Ongoing Impunity – that documents the continued abuse of civilians by the Burma Army. The report, released yesterday at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, details the killings, rape, forced labor and displacement that has occurred in the last twelve months of fighting between the Kachin Independent Army and government troops.…

The Burma Army camp based east of Tenasserim division in Southern Burma has increased its demands on villagers to use their vehicles to transport military supplies. A pick-up owner who does not want to be named (for his own security), told Karen News that despite the cease-fire between the Karen National Union (KNU) and Burmese government the Burma Army are…

The Mae Sot branch of the Thai Labor Protection Office met with the community-based organization (CBO) that represent Burmese migrant workers to discuss the Thailand’s Labor Protection Act issue in detail. Ko Htwe Naing from Yaung Chi Oo Workers’ Association told Karen News that four representatives from Thai LPO and 20 representatives from 12 migrant worker CBOs met in Mae…

Burma’s deadly legacy due to decades of civil conflict undercuts the impoverished country’s reform process. In Eastern Burma, villagers are increasingly unwilling to leave their homes from fear of walking on a landmine, or of being coerced into becoming human minesweepers for the Burma Army. A humanitarian NGO, the Karen Human Rights Group, has released a report documenting the challenges…

Despite Burma’s, Aung San Suu Kyi’s lightening fast trip to Mae La Refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand, the pro-democracy leader still managed to come out fighting on behalf of the camp residents. Suu Kyi, surrounded by Thai security, was unable to meet the thousands of refugees who had gathered at the camp’s football ground in the hope of hearing…