Karen News

Villagers living in the Tandaung Township, Taungoo District accuse Burma Army soldiers of demanding of them force labor and threatening their ability to earn a living. A villager (who security reasons is not named) told Karen News that Burma Army battalions under Division 66 ordered seven villagers from Kaw Thay Der to use their motorcycles to deliver army rations to…

An alliance of Karen community base organizations claim Chinese and Thai investment in the Hatgyi dam could undermine the ongoing peace negotiations between the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Burma government, destroying the Karen peoples’ fragile hope for peace. Saw Paul, director of the coalition for sustainable rivers development, the Karen Rivers Watch (KRW) said. “At this fragile stage…

Despite a ceasefire agreement being agreed to by Karen National Union and the Burma government on January 12th fighting between both sides continues. The latest incident happened when government troops refused to stop sending military supplies through KNU held territory to their Burma Army bases. Soldiers from both sides were killed and wounded in the clash. The KNU confirmed to…

The sentencing of Karen National Union leader, Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung, to a life sentence has the potential to derail government peace talks. KNU officials claim they were given assurances by government representatives that Mahn Nyein Maung would be freed as part of the ceasefire discussions. The Karen National Union leader Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung was sentenced to life plus…

Wearing a torn grey t-shirt and shorts, U Aung Sein paddles his small bamboo raft across the muddy water reservoir that surrounds his dead betel nut plantation. He lays out his fishing net in the dirty water, but expects there will not be any fish. U Aung Sein says he is not a fisherman by choice, but since dirty run-off…

The issue of political prisoners in Burma is still critical, with arrests and government intimidation ongoing, claims a prominent activist organization. The activist organization Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) has accused the Burma government, led by its President Thein Sein, a former Burma Army general, of ignoring basic civil and political rights with impunity. The current political situation in…

Villagers living along the Tavoy-Kanchanaburi Highway linking Burma to Thailand accuse Burma Army soldiers of demanding they provide trucks to transport foods and munitions for the military. Burma Army battalions under Coastal Command headquarters based at Myitta Sub Township, Tavoy, in the Tenasserim Division have since January this year ordered villagers from Sin Phyu Dai, Wartaw, Amo, Htee Htar, Maw…

The political prisoner advocate group, Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), released a statement last Friday requesting the Burma government drop charges against jailed KNU leader, Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung. AAPP’s statement asked for the U Thein Sein government to “drop the spurious and trumped-up charges recently brought against a prominent Karen leader, a member of the Karen National Union…

With the aim of strengthening their collective bargaining power, the Karen National Union met this week with the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army and the KNU/KNLA Peace Council. The KNU delegation led by Major Saw Hla Ngwe – joint secretary of KNU and Lieutenant General Oliver – Deputy Chief of Staff of the Karen National Liberation Army, met with the KNU/KNLA-PC…

The jailed Karen National Union leader, Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung will go to sentence on 13 March. His lawyer, said the court scheduled the decision date after hearing from both sides on March 8. “I tried to defend him at the hearing and explained to the judge why Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung should be released. The prosecutor also gave reasons…