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The Australian Karen Organization rallied outside the Burmese Embassy in Canberra to protest against the Burma Army’s recent attacks on villages in Karen State. Members of the Australian Karen community travelled from Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne to protest. The Australian Karen organization said in a media statement that the Canberra demonstration was part of a Global Karen Protest against attacks…

The Kachin Woman’s Association Thailand issued a statement on May 15, 2018 contradicting claims made by Burma Army commanders that recent offensives against the Kachin Independence Army did not target civilians. The statement said KWAT interviews with displaced people had “revealed in April 2018 Burma Army troops committed war crimes against villagers in three townships in Kachin State: Hpakant, Danai…

Despite Burma Army promises to withdraw its soldiers and stop a construction of a contentious road at the center of the military conflict, thousands displaced villagers are unable to return to their villages in northern Karen State. In an interview with Karen News, Padoh Saw Tender, chairperson of the Karen National Union’s Mutraw (Papun) district said that although the road…

Thai-Burma border-based health organizations, local health experts and health experts from overseas, and leaders of ethnic health organizations participated in a health seminar at the Thai-Burma border on May 21-22. The Burma Medical Association (BMA)’s director Saw Nay Htoo, who led the seminar, said the seminar was held to collectively find ways for the emergence of universal health coverage and…

The Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army – Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC) said it does not want the peace process to be in a standstill and it will continue to work for peace. Military commanders from the KNU/KNLA-PC said this during a meeting between the KNU/KNLA-PC’s regulatory committee and military commanders held in Htoh Kaw Koe of Kawkareik Township, Karen State…

The Karen Peace Support Network (KSPN) issued a statement on May 17 to condemn the government and the Tatmadaw for arresting and suing people involved in peaceful demonstrations where they called for the end of war in various areas in Burma. “We want to highlight how the democracy government handled the ‘Stop War’ and ‘Peace Movement’ activities. Rather than supporting…

Total will install overhead power transmission lines across two townships in the Karen State to transmit power from the LNG (liquefied natural gas) power plant in Kanbauk area of Yebyu Township in the Tanintharyi Region to a 500 kV substation in the Bago Region, according to project officials. The project officials met with local residents in Kan Thar Oo Hall…

A Karen National Union delegation led by its chairman, General Saw Mutu Sae Po met unofficially with Burma Army’s Senior General, Min Aung Hlaing, to discuss the fighting in the Papun area of Northern Karen State. The KNU and the Burma Army met on Thursday, May 17 at the Yangon Command Headquarters in Rangoon. The informal meeting lasted for three-hours…

Karen traditional musicians have urged the Karen people to preserve Karen traditional music since the majority of the Karen people are not interested in playing the Karen traditional musical instruments. Saw Mike Aung Kho, who plays Gain (Migyaung Hlyar) and Khanar (zither), told Karen News on May 14 that the number of people who can play traditional musical instruments has…

The Karen National Union’s army released a statement voicing its frustration and disappointment in national peace talks with Burma’s government and its military. The KNLA accused the government of using road building as a strategy to complete its attempts to militarize Karen held territory. “We cannot fail to see that they are not the ordinary work of building roads, but…