Articles

An unknown armed group is forcing residents of a Three Pagoda Pass town, Kyain Seikygi Township to pay taxes. Residents say armed group demanded taxes or cash payments from business owners and rich people at Three Pagoda Pass Town. The group approached the residents by letter, phone or face-to-face. A businessman (who asked not to be named for fears for…

The Karen people are hopeful, yet cautious about the recent informal meeting between the Karen National Union and the Burmese government’s ceasefire talks. The KNU which has been lock in a civil war with a series of military governments for the 62 years, last Saturday and Sunday held informal talks with Burma government representatives led by Railway Transport Minister, U…

The Karen National Union denied they have entered into a ceasefire with the Burma government. In an official statement on the ‘Peace Talks’, dated 24th November, the KNU said. “Recent media reports that the Karen National Union (KNU) had agreed to a ceasefire with the Burmese regime, along with several other ethnic organizations, was false. The KNU team of three…

The lives of Ta’ang people in Northern Shan state have been shattered as the Burmese government working hand-in-hand with companies has confiscated their land. The Ta’ang Students and Youth Organization (TSYO) report that approximately 42,940 acres of land has been confiscated and estimate that over 8,588 families have been affected. The report carried out in Northern Shan State in 10…

Ethnic groups’ leaders from Burma claim it is too early to grant Burma the Association of Southeast Asian Nations chair. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers agreed at the 19th ASEAN Summit in Bali, to appoint Burma in 2014 to the chairmanship of the regional bloc. Indonesian Foreign Minister, Marty M. Natalegawa, speaking to the media said that there have been specific…

Following their decision last week to register and take part in up-coming bye-elections, Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party will lodge their application papers today, Friday, 25th November. Last week’s decision to register was made in accordance with party members voting during last week’s specially called meeting. The party’s spoke person, central executive committee…

A report from the Karen Human Rights Group accuses the Burma Army of extortion and using villagers for forced labor on army bases. The report issued as a KHRG bulletin was written by a villager in the Nyaunglebin District of Karen State. The villager says last years national election did nothing to change the Burma Army’s abuse of villagers. “The…

Karen villagers alleged Thai company workers of exploiting and marrying local women while they are employed in construction work in southern Burma. A village elder said villagers are outraged at recent false marriages involving three Karen women in Kaw Htee Lor (Tha Byu Chaung) village, east of Tavoy. Villagers say the three women were dumped by the Italian-Thai Development Company…

The ethnic people of Burma crave peace. In the recent years they have voiced their support for a genuine political dialogue that will deliver long lasting peace for their people. Ethnic people working for a wide variety of community groups and canvassed by Karen News said the Burma government has ignored calls by ethnic people for unified peace talks with…

The Palaung Women Organization, estimate in their recent report that opium cultivation and production in northern Shan State this year will double that of previous years. The PWO report ‘Still Poisoned’ released in October this year noted that under the current government, opium cultivation in Namkham Township in northern Shan State has doubled that of crops produced in 2009. Lway…