Articles

The United Nations special envoy on human rights in Myanmar, Mr. Tomas Ojea Quintana, met with community-based-organization’s in Mae Sot on Feb 10, as part of a fact-finding mission. A source at the meeting told Karen News that the topics discussed included religious discrimination, political reform and the pro-democracy movement in Burma. Mr. Quintana is preparing a report on Burma…

Landowners in Hpa-an Township are frustrated that they have to pay yearly rent to use lands that once belonged to them, but were confiscated by the military in 2003. Villagers claim that the property, that includes land from four villages in Aein Duu village tract, costs the villagers 300,000 kyat a acre in fees paid to the military to continue…

The building of shelters to replace those destroyed by a fire last week in Umpeim Mai Refugee Camp, Tak Province, is being delayed by a lack of building materials, claims a camp official. Saw Wah Htee, the chairperson of Umpiem Mai refugee camp, explained that a lack of basic building materials was causing the delay. “Currently, we can’t build the…

The conflict, which has lasted for more than two years, has seen the displacement of an estimated 80,000 Kachin people and reports of human rights abuses continue to emerge. Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian organization that delivers aid to displaced people, expressed concern over ongoing Burma Army attacks, including the alleged looting of a village in January by government forces.…

Even as Burma opens up to the world under President Thein Sein’s nominally civilian government, serious human rights abuses continue to occur, including sexual violence, extra-judicial killings and illegal arrest, says rights groups. On the first day of May 2012, ‘Ngwa Mi’ (not her real name), 48, hid alone in a church in the Kachin Town of Pang Wa, on…

A line of soldiers adorned in flowered garlands threaded their way across the Karen National Defence Organisation’s parade ground in Karen State. The parade on the last day of January ushered in the first year that members of three Karen armed groups celebrated Karen Revolution Day together. Members of the Karen National Union, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, and the…

A number of international human rights groups and media watchdog organisations condemned the Burma government for jailing five journalists for allegedly exposing states secrets. In a strongly worded media release the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) “condemns the arrest and continuing detainment of five Burmese journalists following the publication of a story alleging a Burmese military facility was producing chemical…

Three soldiers from Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion 549 held seven Karen villagers hostage, demanding cash for their return, claims Free Burma Rangers, a humanitarian organization that delivers aid to displaced people. The incident is alleged to have took place on the 26th of January near Law Naw Village, Win Ye Township, Dooplaya District, Karen State. FBR said the villagers…

General Ner Dah Mya, head of the Karen National Defence Organisation (KNDO) has called for Burma’s government to “show sincerity” and commit to a ‘sincere peace’ process. General Ner Dah has just presented a speech at a KNDO base in southern Karen State, honoring the efforts of the Karen in their 64-year-long struggle with Burma’s military regime. Walking over, he…

The General Secretary of the Karen National Union, P’Doh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, called for Karen unity at a ceremony marking the 65th Karen Revolution Day, at Hpa-an district, 7th Brigade headquarters. “We need to rebuild the unity of the Karen people. The Burma’s [Army’s] Border Guard Force (BGF) and the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) were once a part…