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The Karen People’s Forum has demanded the Burma government and the Karen National Union suspend all mega development projects in Karen State during the current peace negotiation process. The Karen People’s Forum and villagers representating 23 villages based on the Salween River met in Papun Township on June 5 for two days to discuss how they could be involved in…

Villagers living along the Dawei to Kanchanaburi road, in Southern Burma accused the Burma Army of illegally extorting money from them and for driving their motorbikes. Saw Eh, a local villager told Karen News. “From Mae Tha Mee Kee on the Thai-Burma border to Myitta village there are many Burma Army checkpoints that collect money from people going to and…

The Kachin Women Association Thailand released a report – Ongoing Impunity – that documents the continued abuse of civilians by the Burma Army. The report, released yesterday at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, details the killings, rape, forced labor and displacement that has occurred in the last twelve months of fighting between the Kachin Independent Army and government troops.…

The Burma Army camp based east of Tenasserim division in Southern Burma has increased its demands on villagers to use their vehicles to transport military supplies. A pick-up owner who does not want to be named (for his own security), told Karen News that despite the cease-fire between the Karen National Union (KNU) and Burmese government the Burma Army are…

The Mae Sot branch of the Thai Labor Protection Office met with the community-based organization (CBO) that represent Burmese migrant workers to discuss the Thailand’s Labor Protection Act issue in detail. Ko Htwe Naing from Yaung Chi Oo Workers’ Association told Karen News that four representatives from Thai LPO and 20 representatives from 12 migrant worker CBOs met in Mae…

Burma’s deadly legacy due to decades of civil conflict undercuts the impoverished country’s reform process. In Eastern Burma, villagers are increasingly unwilling to leave their homes from fear of walking on a landmine, or of being coerced into becoming human minesweepers for the Burma Army. A humanitarian NGO, the Karen Human Rights Group, has released a report documenting the challenges…

Despite Burma’s, Aung San Suu Kyi’s lightening fast trip to Mae La Refugee camp in Tak Province, Thailand, the pro-democracy leader still managed to come out fighting on behalf of the camp residents. Suu Kyi, surrounded by Thai security, was unable to meet the thousands of refugees who had gathered at the camp’s football ground in the hope of hearing…

Thousands of Burmese people living and working in the Thai border town of Mae Sot say they are bitterly disappointed they did not to get to see their hero Aung San Suu Kyi when she visited the area today. Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace laureate was in the region to visit Mae La refugee camp, to meet ethnic leaders later…

Burma’s pro-democracy leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has arrived at Mae La refugee camp, home to 45,000 refugees from Burma. Thousands of refugees have packed the muddy football field in the hope of seeing and hearing the Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Refugees gathered in the camp’s football ground to hear Suu Kyi told Karen News. “Of course all us…

Internally displaced Karen people from the Kyauk Kyi area, requested Norway’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Torgeir Larsen to help them get food and the freedom to earn their living. Torgeir Larsen, Immigration Minister, Khin Yee and the Karen National Union’s, Colonel U Htoo Htoo Lay met with representatives of the displaced people for two hours at the KNU liaison…