Karen News

Villagers have accuse both the Burma Army and soldiers from the Karen National Liberation Army, Brigade 4, of extorting ‘taxes’ from them in Myitta Sub Township, Tavoy, in the Tenasserim Division Sin Phyu Tai village tract since the beginning of April. The villagers say the Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion 410, led by Colonel Kyi Soe, head of Tactical Operations…

Passengers traveling in a private car allege soldiers from the New Mon State Party at a checkpoint in Ta Dein village in the Three Pagoda Pass area fired automatic weapons at their car. The incident occurred on April 18 when a NMSP gatekeeper, identified as Naing Nyein Chan fired his M16 machine gun at the car. U Wanna Thiri, a…

The Karen National Union are about to close down two antimony mining companies operating in the Maw Lu Taung (known locally) area in Papun Township that are working in a KNU controlled area. Karen News understands that the KNU will stop the mining companies activities by the end of April. Padoh Saw Tender, KNU chairman of Papun District, told Karen…

Saw Mort, a Karen News video journalist and photographer, bravely took his camera to the water soaked streets of Mae Sot to capture migrant workers celebrating the annual water festival. On the Thai Burma border, the festival is celebrated by tens of thousands of migrant workers from Burma who know it as Thingyan. Many Thai factories closed during the holiday…

Rumors of repatriation of refugees from Burma living in camps along Thai-Burma border are a major causing talking point for camp residents. Recent political developments in Burma and the recent ‘peace talks’ between the Karen National Union and Burma government have added uncertainty to the refugees futures. The Karen Refugee Committee based in Thailand said that they have yet to…

The Karen National Union’s campaign to explain to Karen people the results of their peace talks with the Burma government drew a crowd of 300 in Hlaingbwe Township Karen state earlier this month. The series of KNU public meetings on the peace talk progress began on April 16 on the Thai Burma border. The first meeting was held at a…

National League for Democracy candidates elected as Members of Parliament in the recent by-elections will not take their seats when parliament reopens today, as they do not agree with the current constitution. U Nyan Win, a NLD spokeperson, told Karen News that his party’s MP’s were invited to the constitutional court to discuss the issue but the NLD still disagrees…

Naw Zipporah Sein, general secretary of the Karen National Union told Karen News that it is too early for the international community to lift sanctions imposed on Burma. Ms. Sein said there is a need for the government to implement more political reforms and a countrywide ceasefire. “It is not the time to remove the sanctions – the international community…

British Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit to Burma this week is the highest-level visit by a Western leader to the strife-torn country since United States secretary-of-state Hillary Clinton briefly visited in November last year. But despite reforms that have so far taken place, including allowing the leading opposition party, the NLD, to compete in April’s by-elections, human rights abuses are…

Karen leaders based inside Burma said they are satisfied so far with the way the ‘peace talks’ between the Karen National Union and the government delegations are progressing. The Karen Member of Parliament, Nan Say Hwa from Hpa-an told Karen News that there is more support for the KNU’s the second round of peace talks than for the first round.…