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General Mutu Say Poe, the chairman of the Karen National Union in his New Year address to the community called for unity, solidarity and said that the Karen people have to be proud of their culture and traditions. General Mutu spoke of the Karen “national characteristics – its calendar, traditions and customs.” General Mutu stressed the importance of the Karen…

Karen News spoke to people attending New Year celebrations held at Border Guard Force headquarters on the Burma side of the River Moei to ask them what they wanted peace talks to deliver in 2014. Thousands of Karen came the BGF headquarters at Shwe Kokko Myaing village in Myawaddy Township to celebrate Karen New Year in what was a highly…

As the 2013 draws to an end and as 2014 is heralded in a number of issues remain critical for the Karen people. Rations cuts were introduced in the nine refugee camps along the Thai Burma border. Repatriation of refugees is on the agenda but many international humanitarian organizations insists it is still unsafe to send refugees back to their…

The leader of the Karen militia that attacked the Burma Army in Myawaddy in late 2010 and in the resulting firefight forcing thousands of refugees into Thailand has been admitted to a Rangoon hospital for treatment of what is feared maybe cancer. Major General Saw Lah Pwe, also known as Na Kham Mway, is the leader of the Klo Htoo…

By Karen News Mae La Refugee Camp officials confirmed that a fire that tore through Zone C of Mae La Refugee camp destroyed as many as 120 houses. Camp officials confirmed to karen News that the fire broke out at around 1.30pm of Friday 27 December. Naw Blooming Night Zan, a spokesperson for the Karen Refugee Committee told Karen News…

A fire has destroyed an estimated 102 buildings in Mae La Refugee Camp, 57km north of the Thai town of Mae Sot. Camp officials say the fire broke out in Zone C at the Mae La Refugee Camp today at 1.30pm and lasted until around 3pm. Naw Day Day Poe, joint secretary of Mae La’s camp committee confirmed to Karen…

Burma Army units in Kachin State are looting the rice rations of internal displaced people (IDP’s), and have fired on a group of villagers in at least one occasion last month, reports the Free Burma Rangers, a frontline humanitarian organization. The FBR lists and dates the Burma Army took over a camp for displaced people. On 21 November 2013, Burma…

Environmental researchers have found village water sources close to a tin mining operation in Southern Burma have dangerous levels of lead and arsenic. Independent community-based researchers from Kamoethway, east of Dawei Town, working with an environmentalist expert from the Netherlands carried out water testing in villages close to a tin mining operation and found that the villagers water sources are…

In what human rights groups are calling a blow to Burma’s ongoing reform process, two Kachin IDP’s arrested under Burma’s Unlawful Association Act law have had their jail sentence increased from two years to seven years – the reasons for the increase are as yet unclear. Burma Army units who arrested them last month are also alleged to have tortured…

The 2014 Karen New Year celebrations will be the first time the event is not marked with a military parade or a demonstration of the ethnic armed groups fighting prowess. All Karen armed groups, except the Karen Democratic Karen Benevolent Army have agreed to hold 2014 New Year as a celebration of unity. The Karen National Union, Karen Peace Council,…