Articles

After 60 years of military rule, Burma has become one of the least developed countries in the world. Military rule has denied civilians their basic human rights. Militarisation by the Burma Army (Tamadaw) in ethnic areas such as Karen, Shan and Kachin States continues to cause severe humanitarian problems in Burma. Forced displacement, forced relocation, forced labor, extortion, are all…

The Karen Women Organization issued a media statement late last night condemning the attempted rape of a 22-year-old mother who was “viciously attacked yesterday by two soldiers of the Burma Army on Sunday this week.” The KWO told Karen News that they have taken the young woman into their care. The KWO statement alleged the two soldiers attempted to rape…

Two soldiers from the Burma Army attempted to rape a Karen woman in a location near the Thai border village of Mulu Chai [opposite Thay Baw Boe village on the Burma side], Phophra district in Tak province, Thailand. On 5th of March 2012 at about 4 pm, two men Burma Army soldiers abducted a 22-year- old Karen woman on a…

Karen ethnic organizations, from both inside Burma and overseas, attended a conference organized by the Karen Worldwide alliance. The conference ran for four days, from 27th February to 1st March, and was held inside Karen State. Karen Worldwide say the conference was called in response to the current political situation in Burma. A media statement released by Karen Worldwide estimates…

Ms K’nyaw Paw an executive member of the Karen Women’s Organization and Presidium Board Member of Women’s League of Burma told Karen News that is crucial that women are an integral part of the on-going peace negotiations with the Burma government and the Karen National Union. “It is important that women are represented during the peace talks and that are…

The recent ‘ceasefire talks’ between a Karen National Union and Burma government delegations resulted in representatives from Karen organizations worldwide to “call for genuine peace throughout Burma and for national reconciliation towards the establishment of a federal union.” Post Views: 601

A report by the Karen Human Rights Group accuses the Burma Army of extorting, forced labour and bribes from villagers in the Toungoo district. The report placed civilians into two categories. Those that lived in areas under Burma Army control, and those that didn’t. According to statistics released by the KHRG, civilians in the former category were much more likely…

The winner of the 2011, Padoh Mahn Sha Young Leader Award is Saw Htoo Htoo Eh, a field worker with the humanitarian group Free Burma Rangers. Saw Htoo Htoo Eh described his work to Karen News. “I collect information about the needs of displaced children in conflict zones in Karen State. From the information I collect I assess and organize…

Days after fire destroyed refugee housing, affecting 3,000 people in Umphiem Mai refugee camp, the camp’s cemetery caught fire, destroying many tombs. For refugees in the camp, this was a grim reminder that fire is still a huge threat. Saw Blacktown reports for Karen News. Naw Htoo, a resident of Umphiem Mai refugee camp said that she and her family…

Two women were killed and a man wounded in a firefight between Democratic Karen Buddhist Army fighters and the Burma’s government’s Border Guard Force soldiers on 19th February in the Myaing Gyi Ngu area. A uncle of one of the dead women told Karen News that his 20-year-old niece was married with young children and she was unlucky to be…