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The Karen National Union leader, Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung, who was sentenced to life plus three years on March 13th, has arrived back to his organization, the Karen National Union. Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung was released under an amnesty issued by Burma’s president, U Thein Sein, on March 19th. Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung arrived in the Thai border town of…

Burma ethnic refugees living in the United State sent a petition to Ambassador Derek Mitchell urging him to pressure the Burma government to stop the systematic widespread human rights abuses in ethnic areas. On March 22nd, the petition was signed by 5,000 refugees from eight different Burma ethnic groups in 67 cities in the US. The petition was delivered to…

The Karen National Union (KNU) are frustrated with the lack of transparency and cooperation showed by the Italian-Thai Development Company’s environmental surveyors. The KNU accuse the ITD’s surveyors of refusing their officials the opportunity to accompany them or observe them on their trip to meet with local villagers affected by the construction of the Tavoy/Dawei-Kanchanaburi Highway, in southern Burma. A…

An officer with the Burma Army’s militia, the Border Guard Force, was killed by a sniper from another BGF battalion in the Myaing Gyi Ngu special region, Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State. Sources Karen News spoke to about the shooting differ on the reasons behind the killing. According to a BGF source, early on the morning of March 16th, a sniper…

Mae La Refugee Camp securities and Thai authorities arrested two men on March 15 for allegedly using narcotics. Security officials in charge at the Mae La Refugee Camp told Karen News that one of the men, Saw Kyaw Eh, 28, had eight ya ba (amphetamine) tablets on him when he was detained by camp authorities, a younger man, also arrested…

The Karen National Union leader Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung – who was sentenced to life plus three years on March 13th – is released today. Regarding to the release, Naw Zipporah Sein – general secretary of KNU, spoke to Karen News and said. “We were informed today at about 10 am that Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung was released. I also…

Villagers living in the Tandaung Township, Taungoo District accuse Burma Army soldiers of demanding of them force labor and threatening their ability to earn a living. A villager (who security reasons is not named) told Karen News that Burma Army battalions under Division 66 ordered seven villagers from Kaw Thay Der to use their motorcycles to deliver army rations to…

An alliance of Karen community base organizations claim Chinese and Thai investment in the Hatgyi dam could undermine the ongoing peace negotiations between the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Burma government, destroying the Karen peoples’ fragile hope for peace. Saw Paul, director of the coalition for sustainable rivers development, the Karen Rivers Watch (KRW) said. “At this fragile stage…

Despite a ceasefire agreement being agreed to by Karen National Union and the Burma government on January 12th fighting between both sides continues. The latest incident happened when government troops refused to stop sending military supplies through KNU held territory to their Burma Army bases. Soldiers from both sides were killed and wounded in the clash. The KNU confirmed to…

The sentencing of Karen National Union leader, Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung, to a life sentence has the potential to derail government peace talks. KNU officials claim they were given assurances by government representatives that Mahn Nyein Maung would be freed as part of the ceasefire discussions. The Karen National Union leader Padoh Mahn Nyein Maung was sentenced to life plus…