Karen News

In retaliation for a state controlled newspaper report that declared the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army was extinct, DKBA fighters attacked three different tollgates under the control of the Burma Army in Kawkareik Town, Karen State late last week. The attacks happened in the afternoon and were led by the DKBA’s Klo Htoo Wah unit and targeted the Burma Army’s Infantry…

A Democratic Karen Buddhist Army commander told Karen News that the breakaway DKBA factions that refused to give up their Karen identity and come under the direct control of the Burma Army by becoming members of the Border Guard Force have begun restructuring their political and military aims. The decision was taken at a meeting in August that involved all…

A Mon human rights group accused a cement company of confiscating land belonging to villagers without paying the owners adequate compensation for their land. Burma’s state run Kyaymon, newspaper reported last week that two more cement companies will be built near Kaw Pa Naw village in Kyaikmayaw Township, Mon State. The two private companies; John Company and PAC Link Trading…

The Burma government’s recently implemented Border Guard Force in Karen State continues to see its soldiers’ desert to join up with opposition forces. This week another 30 soldiers aligned themselves to the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army battalion in the Myaing Gyi Ngu area and led by Major Saw Beeh. Brigadier General Saw Jonny, the commander of the Karen National Union…

There may be a new government in Burma, but it is army is still using force recruiting children into its army according to a child soldier who recently deserted to the Karen National Union. Private Maung Ye Htet 17, no.T-438567 from Infantry Battalion 372 based at Maw Kee village in Myawaddy Township said he deserted to Karen National Liberation Army…

Villagers from Kyauk Gu in Three Pagoda township said Burma Army soldiers randomly shelled their homes, destroying houses and killing cattle. Kyauk Gu residents say the Burma Army fired about 40, 60 mm mortars into the village after fighting between Karen armed groups and the Burma Army, Light Infantry Battalion 543 under Military Operations Command 5. A local resident told…

The Kayin State Democracy and Development Party (KSDDP) based in Hpa-an in Karen State, announced in the state-controlled media that it did not recognize the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army and claimed that the group undermines peace and stability of the State under the name of DKBA. The KSDDP’s statement ran in the state run newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar,…

The United Nationalities Federal Council said the recent letter from Burma’s President, Thein Sein’s announcing a countrywide ceasefire was unacceptable. The letter urged the ethnic armed groups to get in touch with their regional/state level governments. The UNFC’s responded by a letter addressed to President Thein Sein that stated that the government’s peace talks approach like this would not bring…

Monsoon rains earlier this week caused landslides and destroyed four refugee houses at Karenni Refugee Camp 2 located on the Mae Sariang River, Mae Hong Son Province on the Thai-Burma Border. The camp officer-in-chief, U San Hla, told Karen News there were no injuries or deaths caused by the flooding. “After the heavy rains, the flood waters washed away the…

Burmese refugees in Umphiem camp in the northern Thai province of Tak have the chance to resettle to Japan in 2012. Saw Wah Htee, the chairman of the Umphiem refugee camp committee, spoke to Karen News and said the Japanese government representatives and officials from the United Nation High Commission for Refugee visited the camp in July and meet with…