Articles

In an exclusive interview with Karen News, General Baw Kyaw Heh, the Vice Chief of Staff of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and is its second highest commander explained his concerns about the current peace building process with the government and why he thinks the recent ceasefire focus is now on business and not on peace. Gen Baw Kyaw…

Karen villagers have accused a Burmese military commander based at Wah Kla (Wah Daw) village in southern Burma of abusing local villagers in an attempt to instigate conflict with the local Karen National Union (KNU). A villager from Wah Kla who asked not to be named for security reasons spoke to Karen News. “On September 3, Lt. Colonel Aung Win…

A Karen National Union (KNU) delegation led by its chairman General Mutu Say Poe met recently with Karen political parties in Hpa-an to discuss plans it has for amendments to Burma’s contentious 2008 Constitution. The KNU delegation met with the Phalon Sawaw Democratic Party (PSDP), the Karen People Party (KPP), Karen State Development Party (PSDP) and Karen Democratic Party (KDP)…

Human Rights Watch warns that Burma’s draft association law fails to meet international human rights norms and should be revised, warning that it permits “excessive government control” over civil society groups. Burma’s draft Law Relating to the Forming of Organizations, made public on July 27, 2013, threatens civil society groups, says HRW. The draft associations law contains a number of…

The Karen National Union met with refugees and representatives of civil society organizations in Mae La refugee camp on the Thai Burma border to discuss and explain its ongoing peace building process with the Burma government. The meeting took place on Thursday, August 29 and came on the back of rumors circulating throughout the refugee population that there were plans…

Kyauk Khet villagers, devastated after losing their homes in last week’s floods are scared of rebuilding as weather authorities predict more heavy rain for the region. Villagers watched in horror as last week’s heavy rain caused the Kyauk Khet River to break its banks and wash away 17 houses. Kyauk Khet village located in Myawaddy Township, Karen State is split…

Burma’s government in a move to speed up trade and tourism between Thailand, announced yesterday, August 28, that it would allow foreigners holding its visa’s to travel into the country by any of the four entry points. The four border gates are between Myawaddy-Mae Sot, Tachileik-Mae Sai, Kawthaung-Ranong and Htee Khee-Sunaron. Speaking at the ceremony held to mark the opening…

This year’s Karen wrist tying ceremony came with added significance. A two-year ceasefire still holding, Karen armed groups, once sworn enemies promising to be united and villagers able to travel freely in their homeland. Saw Myint Thu, an organizing committee member for this year’s ceremony in Hpa-an told Karen News that this year’s celebration is the best yet. Saw Myint…

Following on from his dramatic fact finding trip to Burma last week, when his car was attacked by religious fanatics, Mr Tomas Ojea Quintana, a United Nations special rapporteur on human rights, paid a visit to the Thai-Burma Border to meet with civil society groups. Mr. Quintana met with the border-based groups in the Thai town of Mae Sot to…

Labour rights groups, including the Migrant Worker Rights Network, Thai Labour Solidarity Committee, Human Rights and Development Foundation and State Enterprise Workers’ Relations Confederation of Thailand, have together expressed concern over a lack of clarity in Burma and Thailand’s migration policy as the two countries latest National Verification (NV) policy initiative expires. The NV process, despite being plagued by exorbitant…