Articles

Karen armed groups have agreed in principal to unite under the same flag to try to resolve all conflicts between them through peaceful dialogue. The armed groups say they will officially recognize the blue, white and red flag that is currently regarded by all Karen as their national flag Representatives of the five groups met on May 28 in Pa-an…

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is scheduled to visit Mae La refugee camp on Saturday June 2, located in Thailand’s Tak province an organizer of her confirmed to Karen News. Colonel Eh Kaw Htoo, commander of the KNLA/KNU Peace Council Border Security Special Forces told Karen News. “Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will visit Mae La refugee camp on June…

Villagers who will be evicted from their homes in the east of Tavoy to make way for a Chinese company’s dam construction claim the Burma government and the Karen National Union (KNU) have ignored their pleas to stop the construction. Saw Ko, a villager from the east of Tavoy spoke to Karen News. “The building of Htee Ler Klay dam…

Its early morning and grey mist and smoke from cooking fires covers the makeshift crowded bamboo huts that is Tham Thin refugee camp. Small girls and boys dressed in a combination of white collared shirts and blue short or skirts tag along side their as they turn up for the first day of the new school year. Tham Hin is…

Norway’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Torgeir Larsen, will lead a delegation to the Bago regional town of Kyauk Kyi to meet with internally displaced Karen people today. A number of local Karen National Union sources confirmed to Karen News that the visit will take place today. “They will leave from Yangon on Tuesday morning. The Myanmar government’s Immigration Minister,…

European Union delegates and a number of foreign ambassadors to Thailand visited the Tham Hin refugee camp in Rachaburi province. The group of diplomats told refugee leaders that they will be negotiating with the Burma government to ensure refugees can return to their country safely The diplomats said refugees should try to acquire skills in case of possible repatriation. Saw…

The National League for Democracy leader and recently elected Member of Parliament, Aung San Suu Kyi, is scheduled to make her first international trip in 24 years when she travels to Thailand to deliver a speech at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Bangkok on Monday 28 May. Ms Suu Kyi’s trip has caused frenzy among foreign media and international…

The ongoing use of landmines by the Burma Army and armed groups in Eastern Burma continues to threaten civilians according to a report released this week by the Karen Human Rights Group. The KHRG report – ‘Uncertain Ground’ – documents the period between January 2011 and May 2012, and includes evidence taken from a total of 119 testimonies from local…

After receiving abuse from their senior officers, three Burma Army soldiers deserted to Phop Phra district on the Thai side of the border at the end of last month. The soldiers were from the Burma Army Light Infantry Battalion 61 operating in the Waw Lay area, Myawaddy Township in Karen State. According to local military sources these are the first…

The Kachin Women’s Association Thailand have accused Burma Army soldiers of raping a 48-year-old Kachin mother of 12 children in early on May. Moon Nay Li, a coordinator with KWAT said that the rape case happened when Burma Army soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion 347 and Infantry Battalion 118 entered Luk Pi (Lupi) village in Chipwi Township, randomly firing their…