Karen News

The KNU’s Department of Home Affairs, Religious Affairs and Prisons granted amnesty to 92 men and 12 women, excluding those serving sentences longer than seven years for major crimes such as rape, murder, and drug trafficking. The KNU said the amnesty ceremony was held on February 23. The amnesty applied to those sentenced before January 31 this year, aiming to…

Telecom scam operations, restaurants, massage parlors, beauty salons, laundries, and grocery stores that previously operated in Myawaddy and Shwe Kokko Town have relocated to Payathonzu, largely under Chinese ownership, offering better job prospects for locals fluent in Chinese. As a result, more residents in the town are learning to speak and write Chinese, with course fees ranging from 300,000 to…

The meeting, held on February 18–19, brought together youth delegations from the Karen Youth Organization (KYO) and the Department of Youth Affairs (DOYA) of the Interim Executive Council (IEC) of Karenni State. The KYO said the event aimed to strengthen ties between Karen and Karenni youth and advance cross-sector cooperation in the revolutionary movement. “At a time when we need…

The stalls, operating without a license, have been targeted by junta-affiliated officials under the pretext of fire prevention and curbing illegal fuel sales. This has led many to close for fear of arrests in Myawaddy, a town resident car workshop owner said. “Most stalls are closed because owners received advance notice that arrests would begin on February 17. They also…

Paul Sein Twa, director of the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN) and chairman of the Salween Peace Park, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with civil society organizations in Thailand and Laos on January 20 to establish the GMS Breath Council. The newly formed council will serve as a cross-border platform for local civil society organizations, enabling community-based…

Many who previously entered Thailand on a 7-day border pass failed to return when the period expired. As a result, Thai immigration authorities now require first-time crossers of the border bridge to have a guarantor. Under the new rules, a Thai citizen or a border-area driver can serve as a guarantor, with fees ranging from 500 to 1,500 THB, according…

Bloody Ballot Boxes and an Election Under the Shadow of “Made in China” Network Media Group February 16, 2026 The skies over northern Myanmar are bleak, shrouded not only by the winter cold but also by the smoke of the military council’s artillery. While winter in the north is bitterly cold, political tensions remain high in several cities across northern…

Fighting between resistance forces and the junta intensified in early February, displacing around 2,000 people from the Hpalu and Minletpan village tracts to Palawtapo refugee camp and nearby areas. On February 10, fighting for control of the Wawlay Tactical Command base forced another 2,000 locals to flee to the border, bringing the total number of displaced people in the region…

“We made this call because we see the many challenges women face. Women have limited opportunities to take part in leadership and decision-making across administrative, economic, and social sectors,” Naw Htoo Htoo, a human rights advocate, commented regarding the statement. The statement also urged the implementation of peace and security measures for women in the Kawthoolei region, called on the…

WLB’s ‘Looking back on 2025’ report highlighted the impact of ongoing and worsening armed conflicts, as well as political, economic, and humanitarian crises, on women. According to the report, domestic violence was the most common form of abuse, with incidents of rape, sexual assault, harassment, human trafficking, forced marriage, and cyberbullying also reported. “Among the 209 cases, most happened in…