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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,…

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) estimates that of the world’s 215 million child labourers, 115 million are involved in hazardous work, including 41 million girls and 74 million boys; 53 million are aged 5-14, and 62 million are aged 15-17. The number of child labourers engaged in hazardous work between the ages of 15-17 is increasing. According to a 2011…

Saw Hta, 31 is migrant living and working in in Phopra area. He is originally from Kawkreik Township in Karen State, Burma. Saw Hta left his home more than ten years ago and only visited his place of origin once. Saw Hta said that living as a migrant in Thailand had its advantages and disadvantages. “On one hand, our livelihood…

As the world mark International Migrants Day today, regional labor rights groups are taking the opportunity to raise the ongoing plight of many migrant workers in Thailand – many of whom are from Burma – where they have few rights and are vulnerable to extortion. With four million migrant workers in Thailand, migrants form a crucial source of cheap labour…

Following the good feel surrounding the ceasefire between the Karen and Burma government, villagers forced relocated 10 years ago returned in hope to their old village, only to find it occupied by a palm oil company. Following their forced relocation by Burma Army, Karen villagers from the east of Myeik Town, in southern Burma began to return to their old…