Articles

A statement released by the Shan Human Rights Foundation on December 6, 2016, details the torture and shooting of villagers in northern Shan State. The statement alleged that three villagers were “tortured for speaking loudly.” The SHRF report that on “November 13, 2016, three villagers, including a 16-year-old boy, were badly beaten by Burma Army troops of LIB 119 in…

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) recently gave training on the law of armed conflict (LOAC) to senior military leaders of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA). Over 40 military leaders from the KNLA under the KNU Brigade 7 attended the training, which was held in an area under the control of the Karen National Union (KNU) Brigade…

Three Karen ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) and four Karen political parties held their first federalism workshop at Lay Kay Kaw Myothit in Myawaddy Township, Karen State from 29 to 30 November. Saw Tar Mu Lar, the Karen National Union (KNU) Chairman’s Office Secretary, said: “People are very keen to know about this issue [federalism]. We won’t get what we want…

Karen Members of Parliament (MPs) will lead the first Naypyidaw Karen New Year Festival when the 79th New Year Festival is held at the MCC-2 Hall in Naypidaw on 29 December. Saw Shar Phaung Awar, the Naypyidaw Karen New Year Organising Committee Joint Secretary told Karen News that it was decided to hold the festival in Naypyidaw at a meeting…

KWINYAR VILLAGE, Ayeyarwady Region – On a recent November morning, farmer Soe Myint Aung was busy collecting rice from his harvester and loading it into bags. It is heavy work but still he knows he is lucky; with 17 acres of paddy field situated along a road in Kwinyar Village, in Kangyidaunt Township, he can afford to own a harvester.…

Burma security forces crackdown on “terrorists’ in the western Rakhine State have forced at least 10,000 Rohingya to take refuge in Bangladesh in recent weeks, according to the United Nations. Vivian Tan, a spokeswoman for the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugee’s Bangkok office said in AFP report. “Based on reports by various humanitarian agencies, we estimate that there could…

The Women’s Organisations Network – Karen State (WON-KS) held an awareness-raising programme on violence against women in Kha Lel Village in Kyain Seikgyi Township, Karen State on 28 November. The WON-KS chairperson Naw Khaing Thitzar said: “As part of the 16 days of activism to fight violence against women, we have come here to hold this [program]. We came to…

The Committee for Protection and Promotion of Child Rights (CPPCR) will lobby the Burmese Government to officially recognise the birth certificates of children born in Thailand to migrant workers and in refugee camps. Naw Blooming Night Zan, an executive member of CPPCR, said to KIC News: “There are no guarantee for children from refugee camps and of migrants. We plan…

Reports from an alliance of Kachin peace groups and a humanitarian organization have released reports documenting government army offensives against ethnic armed groups in northern Burma. The Kachin Peace Network called on the government’s military and the ethnic armed groups to respect international laws in a statement released yesterday. “We firmly demand to all the warring parties to refrain of…

A Burma Army officer, two soldiers from both the Burma Army and its militia, the Border Guard Force, were killed by blast mines in the recent conflict area near Kyone Htaw Waterfall, Mae Tha Wor, Karen State, on November 22, 2016. The mine fatalities happened after months of intense fighting between the breakaway Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA) and a…