Articles

Amnesty International have reported that Burma’s military forces are waging a scorched earth campaign against ethnic Rohingya in the northwest of the country. The Amnesty International report states that “more than 80 sites set ablaze in orchestrated campaign since 25 August, more than 370,000 Rohingya fled across border in less than three weeks” and that “testimonies show attacks were planned,…

What was supposed to be a public forum on the peace process in Bago Region this week turned into more of a lecture when the question and answer portion of the event was cut. The Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee of Bago Region’s September 12 meeting in Kyaukkyi township attracted a crowd of about 400 people. “They [the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring…

The Karen diaspora is showing increasing irritation at the Karen National Union’s ceasefire stance. The International Karen Organization (IKO) issued a statement on September 9 calling for a review of the current peace process in order to achieve a genuine political settlement. The statement was issued following IKO’s first conference in Melbourne, Australia from September 6 to 8. The IKO,…

Security has been beefed up along the Myanmar-Thai border in response to rumors and scaremongering on social media, according to a member of the Karen State Border Guard Force. “Public concerns are high due to propaganda and indoctrination. We are providing security to prevent unwanted problems,” said Major Naing Maung Zaw, secretary of the Karen State Border Guard Forces (BGF)’s…

Civil society groups in Karen State last week discussed concerns that the official ceasefire monitoring body may restrict their peace-related activities. At a meeting held by the Kayin Women’s Empowerment Group (KWEG) and Belgium-based Nonviolent Peace Force in Hpa-an on September 8, some organizations said that with the official ceasefire mechanism setting up local-level offices, the CSOs involvement may be…

Nineteen new auxiliary midwives have completed their training and will bolster rural health teams in an aim to reduce maternal mortality in Karen State. The 19 trainees were presented certificates at an inaugural ceremony on September 6. These auxiliary midwives are the sixth batch to complete the seven-month training held by the Backpack Health Worker Team (BPHWT), the Phalon Education…

Karen State health officials this week completed the third and final round of vaccines for children living at an internally displaced persons camp, but were unable to inoculate everyone due to uncooperative parents, health officials said. Around 400 children under five at the Myaing Gyi Ngu Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp were inoculated against tuberculosis, tetanus, chickenpox, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis…

An internally displaced persons camp in Karen State is making a last-ditch appeal for international donors to continue providing aid. All food assistance to the shelter for nearly 3,000 people is set to dry up at the end of this month. The support committee at the Ei Tu Hta IDP submitted a letter to international donors on September 4. “We…

The Karen State government is planning to hold a multi-ethnic cultural festival next year. On September 2, government officials held a coordination meeting at the state Hluttaw office. The Bamar, Mon and Pa’O ethnic affairs ministers, as well as officials from Karen, Pa’O, Shan, Geba and Mon literature and culture committees attended. “The aim is to promote unity and amity…

Two years after the 2014 census was conducted, government officials are just getting around to explaining the point of all those questions that members of the public were made to answer. On August 31 and September 1, officials from the Ministry of Immigration and Population met with Karen State local representatives and residents at a town hall information session in…