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Democratic Karen Buddhist Army leader, held a press conference for Thai and Burmese journalists on May 1 to hit back at accusations made by Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister, Chalerm Yubumrung, that he is a major drug dealer. The Thai deputy prime minister made the claims on Thai television on April 20. An annoyed Brigadier General Saw Ler Pwe claims he…

Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy elected Members of Parliament took their seats in parliament following a week’s delay due to dispute over the parliamentary admission oath in the constitution. U Nyan Win spoke person for NLD said that their turnaround decision to take the oath and join the parliament is based on two reasons. Speaking…

Nai Yekkha and Nai Myo Twe from New Mon State Party who were serving life sentences in Burma’s notorious jails were released on April 30. Burma government representatives, Union Minister for Electric Power, U Zaw Min, and the Mon State Prime Minister handed the two prominent political prisoners to Nai Htaw Mon, the chairman of the NMSP in Moulmein Town.…

The Burma government has ordered checkpoints staffed by soldiers from the Burma Army and rogue elements from the Karen National Liberation Army to be closed down. Villagers in the area told Karen News that the checkpoints at Bawti, Iwai, Wartaw and Sin Phyu Tai were extorting ‘taxes’ from travelers in Myitta Sub Township, Tavoy, in the Tenasserim Division Sin Phyu…

Political reforms under President Thein Sein’s military-backed government threaten to be overshadowed by a major conflict in the country’s northernmost state. Post Views: 641

A village headman from Htee Wah Plaw village, in Eastern Nabu Township in Karen state has gone into hiding over fears for his safety after he denied an order from the government’s Border Guard Force (BGF) militia to supply recruits. According to a villager, BGF Battalion 1017, demanded new recruits from Htee Wah Plaw, Htee Law Thay, Tan Pa Yar,…

The Burma Government’s controlled militia, the Border Guard Force (BGF) has in recent months confiscated villagers land, extorted taxes and now in the latest incident is forcing villagers to join their militia. Naw Chamu reports for Karen News. The BGF under the command of 1017 battalion commander, Saw Dee Dee, demanded three villagers from Tee Wa Blaw village had to…

According to a Karen National Union source, villagers in Kyauk Kyi Township in the Bago Region have more freedom to travel since the preliminary ceasefire agreement between Karen National Union and government. Padoh Saw Ner Htoo Byaing, KNU chairman in Kyauk Kyi Township told Karen News. “Villagers now don’t need to get travel permission documents to move around the area.…

Since ceasefire talks between the Karen National Union and the Burma government refugees in camps in Thailand are facing an uncertain future. Rumors about repartition plans and funding cuts by international donors have all added to the tension. Last week as many as 100 protesters took to the streets to voice their concerns over refugee registration. Around 100 new refugees…

The Democratic Karen Buddhist Army released a statement defending their Commander-in-Chief Brigadier, General Saw Ler Pwe, who was listed on a most-wanted list of drug traffickers this week by the Thai government’s Narcotics Control Board. Karen News is led to understand the DKBA leader, Brigadier General Saw Ler Pwe (also known as Na Khan Mwe), is furious at the Thai…