Articles

Angered over recent electricity price increases and frequent blackouts, over 200 people staged a protest on May 1 in Myawaddy township, Kayin State. Protesters complained that the recent change in power distributors was not handled transparently, and said the new arrangement is not beneficial to the public. “In the past, we only had to pay 4.30 baht [per kWh] for…

Today workers around the world take to the streets to commemorate May Day and to show their solidarity for their hard fought rights and to continue to protest for a better world. For workers in Burma it’s an especially hard life. Low wages, often a dangerous working environment and failure of employers to recognize international workers’ rights such as holidays…

Villagers demanded the return of their land, confiscated by the Burma Army, with members of the Karen State Ceasefire Joint Monitoring Committee – State level (JMC-S) who held its first meeting with local villagers on April 26 at Kya-in Gyi village, in Kyain Seikgyi Township. Sources from civil society organizations and local villagers, said the Burma Army had confiscated villagers’…

Authorities are holding discussions on using a solar power system in the Lay Kay Kaw newtown in Myawaddy Township, Karen State until electricity is available for the settlement development project. Lay Kay Kaw newtown is situated nine -miles south of Myawaddy town and was built to accommodate conflict affected communities, including displaced villagers, refugees and families members of the Karen…

In an exclusive interview with Karen News, Padoh Naw Zipporah Sein, despite losing her position as vice-chairperson in the Karen National Union’s 16th Congress recent election, urged the new leaders to work for a genuine peace and to be united with the country’s ethnic nationalities. The KNU 16th congress have elected new a chairperson, vice-chairperson, secretary, joint secretary 1 and…

The Karen National Union elections for its four-year term leadership ended on April 8, 2017 after the top five positions were voted in. Chairperson, General Mutu Sae Po was re-elected to serve in the position for another four years, while Naw Zipporah Sein lost her position as vice-chair in an early round of the election vote. Ms Sein, the KNU’s…

The Karen National Union (KNU) has approved a roadmap roughly outlining its future activities over the next four years. The ethnic armed organization is currently convening its 16th congress, where election of its new leadership body is underway. Padoh Saw Thaw Thi Bwe, chair of the KNU Congress Committee, said the 20-point agenda for 2017-2021 was approved on April 4…

The current 16th Karen National Union (KNU) Congress entered its final stage from the first week of April, 2017. Election of new leadership that will take office for the next four years start tomorrow, on April 6. During the previous weeks, representatives debated several issues before an agreement and understanding could be reached. These issues include the Burma Army’s militarization…

According to the results announced by the Union Election Commission, the National League for Democracy took the largest share of the 19 seats available, capturing nine spots, while the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy kept the race close, picking up another six seats. The Arakan National Party (ANP) and the All Nationalities Democracy Party (ANDP) each took one seat, in…

After extensive discussions and over a week of debates, the Karen National Union finally has a new charter setting out its governing principles and administration. The KNU, one of the major ethnic armed groups to have signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) in 2015, is holding its 16th national congress in Lay Wah (also known as Law Khee Lar) in…