Articles

In a speech to the UN Security Council a prominent community based human rights organization has expressed concern over the lack of transparency and accountability surrounding Burma’s reform process. Burma’s government, led by ex-general Thein Sein, recently passed an ‘action plan’ to end the use of child soldiers in the military by 2014 – when the country is set to…

The Burmese authorities have warned the Heinda mining company, operating east of Tavoy, in southern Burma to improve and contain their work practices – that have destroyed villagers plantations – or their mining operation will be stopped. Villagers in Heinda who asked not to be named, told Karen News. “U Thein Lwin, the Minister of Forestry and Mining in Taninthanyi…

Despite a ceasefire agreement being in place between Karen soldiers and the Burma Army, fighting broke out in Thandaung Township, Karen State on 27th June. The Karen National Union accuse the Burma Army’s Infantry Battalion 1, under the command of Division 66, for violating the ceasefire agreement and crossing into KNU controlled territory and starting the fighting. Padoh Saw Eh…

Burma’s President, U Thein Sein, granted an amnesty on Tuesday that saw the release of 24 political prisoners out of a total of 80 prisoners who were freed. Ko Tate Naing, secretary of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma) based on the Thai-Burma, confirmed the release of political prisoners to Karen News. “According to our latest source list, there…

In a small bamboo hut located at the bottom of a mountain in the Dawna Ranges, that rises in Eastern Burma, a small girl is busy putting firewood in a stove made out of three stones. The girl is, Naw Bleh Hsi, fills the water in a smoke blackened pot and sits it on top of the three-stone-stove to boil.…

A small Karen boy leads two large brown bulls in search of a much-needed feed of grass. The summer sun has baked the ground hard and dried the grass brittle. The boy is wedged between the huge animals his small frame dwarfed by their bulk. The boy, Saw Tabluklee, blinks against the bright sun, his skin burnt brown and says…

Burma’s 60 years of ongoing civil war – the world’s longest – has driven what was once a wealthy regional power into one of the poorest countries in the world. Endemic issues face Burma. With over 500,000 internally displaced people (IDP), a general lack of infrastructure, few education opportunities and poor healthcare, the people of Burma face many challenges. Due…

The Burma government’s peace-talk delegation led by Railway Minister U Aung Min, today made an early morning visit to Dr Cynthia Maung’s Mae Tao Clinic in the border town of Mae Sot, Thailand. U Aung Min’s 6am visit followed-up on his yesterday meet with the Karen National Union and Dr. Cynthia Maung, the Minister said today’s visit was to get…

A Karen woman activist claims that the authorities in Burma are watching her every step despite recent efforts for democratic reform and building peace with ethnic groups. Naw Ohn Hla, a former political prisoner and a former member of the National League for Democracy – a major opposition political party led by Aung San Suu Kyi, spoke to Karen News…

The Karen National Union and Burma government held further peace talks in the Thai border town of Mae Sot yesterday. The government delegation led by Railway Minister, U Aung Min, met with KNU representatives to discuss and reinforce the agreements they made in earlier meetings. The six member KNU delegation was led by its general secretary, Naw Zipporah Sein, and…