Articles

The European Karen Network (EKN) urged the Burmese government and international aid donors not to seek to divide the Karen under the guise of ‘peace-talk’ initiatives. An EKN released a statement paper following the Karen National Union’s dismissal of three of its leaders for failing to adhere to its principles. The three leaders dismissed for organizational misconduct are – Karen…

The Karen National Union Executive Committee has dismissed the head of its army, and two other KNU leaders for breaching its ‘peace-talk’ protocols. The three dissenting leaders are General Mutu Say Poe, the Karen National Liberation Army’s General-Officer-in-Command, Padoh Saw David Taw, Chief of the Justice Department and Padoh Saw Roger Khin, Chief of Health and Welfare Department. The three-sacked…

The local people in Ka Moe Thway area, Tavoy (Dawei) town, in southern Burma have called for the Thai government to not to build dirty industry near their homes. On September 20, around 200 villagers, who live along the Dawei-Kanchanaburi road, constructed by the Thai Italian-Thai Development Company, gathered in Kaw Htee Lor village to pray for a stop to…

Protesting Karen villagers and community organisations concerned that a dam construction will destroy plantations, roads and their way of life stage a protest against the energy company. As many as 200 villagers from Taungoo Township in Pegu (Pago) Division staged a protest last week against Shwe Energy (Asia World) Company voicing their concerns over the negative impacts of the Thauk…

In defiance of Karen National Union policy, Karen National Liberation Army chief General Mutu Say Po opened a temporary central level liaison office in Pa-an Town, Karen State on Saturday, September 29. An attendee at the opening ceremony told Karen News that around 200 people attended turned up as well as representatives from the Burma government. Minister Aung Min, representing…

Villagers from Yay Phyu Township in Tanintharyi Region claim that heavy trucks used by the Italian-Thai Development Company for the Dawei Project are damaging village roads. Villagers claim the constant flow of heavy trucks from the Italian-Thai Development Company using local roads in the Na Bu Leh, Mu Du and Nyaung Pin Seik villages are destroying the roads, but company…

A Democratic Karen Buddhist Army platoon commander shot and wounded a villager from Htee Te Leh village in Kawkariek Township. The shot villager, Saw Du Du, was taken to across the Thai Burma border to a hospital in Umphang District. The incident happened last on Saturday, September 22, at 7am after an altercation between the DKBA commander and the villager.…

Today the Karen National Union issued an extraordinary statement detailing what appears to be a major split in their organization. The news of a split comes at a bad time for the Karen as their political organization is holding a series of high-level peace-talks with the Burmese government. The KNU statement said, “Lt. General Mutu Say Po, together with a…

Parents of high school graduates in Three Pagoda Pass Town in Kyain Seikgyi Township, Karen State allege the headmistress of the school is demanding excessive fees for the university entrance exam application form. A parent of a high school graduate, said the going rate in Kyain Seikgyi Township is 2,500kyat a student, Daw Khin Hla Wai, the headmistress of Three…

The Mae Tao Clinic on the Thai Burma border treats as many as 150,000 migrants and refugees each year, has now called for the Burma government to make the restructuring of its worn-out health system a funding priority. Dr. Cynthia Maung, the founder of the Mae Tao Clinic, provided insights in a briefing paper after she met with members of…