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Officials from the Karen National Political Dialogue Coordination Committee said they have prepared for upcoming third session of the Union Peace Conference – 21st Century Panglong by recollecting the opinions gathered from the Karen national political dialogue and holding a meeting to approve them. A meeting was held at the Karen National Union (KNU) headquarters in Law Khee Lar (Laywah),…

Residents of Mae-ka-ne Village under the Karen State’s Myawaddy Township held a peaceful demonstration on June 10 morning to demand the return of the farmlands that have been grabbed for development project. The protest leader Naw Htoo Htoo said over 300 residents marched from Mae-ka-ne Village Sakhan Gone to Shwe Mya Sandi Thaba Thukha Pagoda during the protest. “This area…

The Karen Entrepreneurs Association will be established in July with the aim to develop Karen youth entrepreneurs, according to the Yangon Region Karen Literature and Culture Committee (KLCC), which is organizing the association. Yangon Region KLCC’s joint secretary – 1 Saw Bo Bo Wai Maung said the Karen Entrepreneurs Association will be established with Karen entrepreneurs from across the country…

An alliance of democracy activists and civil society organizations in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region called for international diplomats to pressure the Burma government and its high ranking military generals to stop its offensives in the north of the country. The alliance of civil society, health and pro democracy groups released a media joint statement today demanding…

A Karen restaurant has opened in Rangoon with the objective to introduce traditional dishes to the public. The owner, Sa Khwa Khwa said his restaurant, Non Tae Ya [The Flag], plans to introduce traditional Karen food to the market, and said it will be the first restaurant to do so. Sa Khwa Khwa restaurant opened for business on Tuesday June…

Karen education officials warn cuts to refugee camp programs are forcing schools to close. Higher education schools in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border are running out of funding, are struggling to keep open and face pressure to relocate back to Burma. Officials from the Karen Refugee Committee Education Entity- KRCEE told Karen News that some Kaw Thoo Lei Higher…

The Karen National Union’s Agriculture Department will give priority to assist the public in obtaining their land ownership rights and solve land issues that rose up in the mixed controlled areas within this year. The department made the decision during its 12th year-end meeting held at Kalo Yaw Hta under Hpa-an District on May 30. Local residents from the KNU-controlled…

Over 1,000 teachers need to be recruited after the Ministry of Education upgraded 261 government schools in the Karen State within this month, according to the state education officer U Soe Myint. Nine high schools, ten high school branches, 53 middle schools, 21 middle school branches, 31 post-primary schools, 99 primary schools, and 38 primary school branches have been upgraded…

The Australian Karen Organisation wrote to Australia’s Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop to ask her to use her position to pressure Burma’s government and its Army to immediately withdraw its soldiers from ethnic regions. The AKO explained in its letter to Ms Bishop, that “despite the efforts of the International Community to endorse genuine peace, the Burmese Military have increased their…

The Karen Youth Organization (KYO)’s chair Saw Ler Ner has urged more cooperation between ethnic youths in the situation where Burma’s political transition cannot guarantee basic rights of ethnic people. “We are still fighting the battles using the political movement to obtain national equality and self-determination. As we were ruled by the British under the divide and rule [policy], there…