Articles

A senior member of the Hpa-an based, Plone-Sgaw Democratic Party (PSDP), a Karen political party, said that they are planning to contest all constituencies in Karen State for the November 8, 2015 general election. Speaking to Karen News, the party’s vice-chairman Mahn Aung Pyi Soe said. “We will contest all 36 constituencies including places where Burman, Pa-o, Mon ethnic people…

The Committee to Protect Journalists urged the Burma government and relevant authorities to “prosecute the perpetrators” of an attack on the owner of the Eleven Media Group. The Burmese media reported that slingshot-wielding assailants attacked Than Htut Aung, the owner of the Eleven Media Group last Tuesday. The Committee to Protect Journalists issued a statement condemning the attacks. The CPJ…

Specialists are predicting this year’s outbreak of the deadly fever could have life-threatening consequences for people across the region Dr Pipat is a worried man. As head of the paediatric department and deputy director of Mae Sot Hospital, he fears that 2015 is going to be a bad year for dengue cases. “I am concerned. We know that this year…

About 700 migrant workers from the Garman (aka A1) garment factory in Mae Sot, Thailand staged a protest over seven demands. Karen News is led to understand that the factory workers have been in negotiations since July 4, with the factory owners and officials but have yet to reach a settlement. A worker organiser, Kyi Soe, told Karen News that,…

The Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN) released a statement that said that fighting between the DKBA and government army during July on the Asia Highway had damaged recent peace initiatives. The newly built Asia Highway connects Myawaddy and Kawkareik in Karen state and saw fierce fighting between the Burma Army and the DKBA over security for the road. The KPSN…

Burma’s Government is intensifying intimidation and arrest of student activists as a nationwide election nears on November 8, 2015. In recent weeks student activist leaders have been arrested without notice and arbitrarily detained. Last week security forces arrested Ko Zeya Lwin, one of the leaders behind a June 30 protest outside Yangon’s Town Hall. Ko Zeya Lwin was pr0testing against…

In 1997 the Burma Army forced Karen people from the Mutraw (Papun) District in Karen State from their homes. Many of these people were practicing animists. During the forced displacement, villagers unable to live on their land were many of their deity’s lived, lost many aspects of their Karen animism beliefs. Despite living in displacement, fear and hardship, five Karen…

Dengue fever outbreaks on the Thai Burma border have affected hundreds of students, with many having to be hospitalized. Heavy wet season rains that drench communities on both sides of the Thai Burma border, are an early warning sign that it is the time of year that dengue fever strikes. Health Ministries from both countries have released statistics in recent…

The government and ethnic groups’ representatives reached an agreement in principle to work towards getting the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement signed and starting the process of drafting a political dialogue framework with President U Thein Sein’s administration. The Union Peacemaking Working Committee led by Minister U Aung Min and the Ethnic Senior Delegation led by Padoh Naw Zipporah Sein met on…

The fighting in Karen State between the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and Burma Army continue as negotiations to stop the fighting failed. Captain Saw Three Htoo, an Intelligence Officer from the Klo Htoo Wah Brigade said that fighting between Burma Army and the DKBA continues near Kaw Moo village, Kawkareik Township, Karen State. Speaking to Karen News on Tuesday…