Articles

Major General Saw Ler Pwe, the commander-in-chief of Democratic Karen Benevolent Army also known as Na Kham Mwe, died Today (March 13) from cancer at his home in Pegu Town. Saw Yin Kyi, DKBA Liaison Officer in Kawkareik confirmed to Karen News about the general’s death. “[Grandpa] Saw Ler Pwe suddenly vomited on his way home coming back from church.…

To mark International Women’s Day, Karen women’s groups demand involvement in the Burma peace building process and reminded politicians to keep their promise of giving women a 30% stake in the process. International Women’s Day ceremonies were widely held in KNU controlled areas and in refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border on March 8, organized by the Karen Women’s Organization…

NAY PYI TAW (Myanmar Now) – Myanmar’s new parliament nominated four presidential candidates on Thursday, with Htin Kyaw, a nominee from the National League for Democracy (NLD), tipped to be president. One name was notably absent – Nobel peace laureate and NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi who did not attend the event. Despite a landslide election victory for the…

High profile women, including actress Dame Judi Dench and actress Gillian Anderson, have put their names to a document calling on action to stop the sexual assault and rape of women in Burma. The pledge, which was released to mark International Women’s Day, called for: 1. An investigation into rape and sexual violence by the Burmese military against ethnic women…

A recent meeting between different Karen armed groups reached a decision that the Karen National Union is to lead the groups political agenda. The meeting held on February 29, 2016 at the Karen National Liberation Army’s headquarter in Pa-an District, Karen State is a regular event among the Karen Armed Groups Unity Committee that represents various the KNLA, KNU/KNLA Peace…

The Karen National Union is outraged that media reports said it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the with the government to construct a hydro-power dam as untrue. The KNU issued a denial after Karen communities inside Burma and overseas, incensed by the reports, lashed out at the ethnic political organization for giving the go-ahead for the government to…

Fighting broke out between the Burma Army and Karen fighters in Papun Township, northern Karen State on February 24, over claims that the government soldiers had violated a ceasefire agreement. The dispute began when the Burma Army transported food rations to its frontline bases. Karen National Liberation Army officers in its 5th Brigade told Karen News that the Burma Army…

A report by the Asian Human Rights Commission warns of a rise in the number of politically motivated arrests. The AHRC welcomed the prospect of the newly elected NLD led civilian government, but pointed to Burma’s ongoing human rights violations. “Despite the historic election having taken place, peaceful protestors have continued to be subject to rights violations,” The AHRC said…

For dozens of elected representatives and losing candidates, as well as the Union Election Commission, the election process is far from over. NAYPYITAW (Myanmar Now) – On a recent February morning, just after Myanmar’s new, democratically-elected parliament convened amid near-universal praise, the office of the Union Election Commission (UEC), situated in a remote corner of the vast capital, was abuzz…

In a move to raise awareness about environmental issues, the Karen National Union’s Forestry department launched a project to encourage communities living in areas under its control to grow more tress. The KNU’s Forestry Department’s ‘greening project’ wants each household to grow three trees each. Mahn Myint Tun, an officer with the KNU’s Forestry Department told Karen News that all…