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The farmer explained to Karen News the recent increase in costs associated with farming is creating hardship – fuel costs have tripled. “Price have increased a lot in recent days. Fuel is now more than 7,000 kyats (about USD$ 4) a gallon. Before, we could use 2,000 Kyat (about USD$ 1.5) worth of fuel for the whole day. Now, we…

The statement issued on January 20, by Karen, Karenni, and Chin Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) demanded international governments, ASEAN and UN establish safe zones for the protection of civilians and to declare military no-fly zones in Burma where the military has ordered airstrikes and artillery shelling targeting civilian areas. In response to the UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy’s proposal to send…

By Tha Dah Soe In the wild grassland on the banks of the Moei River, that separates Thailand from Burma, clusters of small makeshift huts with plastic sheet roofing huddle under the shade of bamboo groves or tall bushes. Pick-up trucks, tractor-trucks and motorbikes are covered in dust and now parked idle in the harvested corn fields near the temporary…

In a recent meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Burma, Noeleen Heyzer, on January 17, 2022, media reported Thailand’s Prime Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, said displaced villagers would be able to return to their country on a voluntary basis. The recent fighting in Lay Kay Kaw areas south of Myawaddy Town resulted in more than 10,000 villagers…

The displaced villagers fled the attacks with only what they could carry, leaving cooking utensils and warm clothing behind. The villagers now sheltering in makeshift shelters rely on meal packs prepared by Burmese farmers living on the Thai side of the border. A displaced villager Daw Tin Tin (not her real name), told Karen News the conditions are made more…

Colonel Saw Htoo K’Shaw, Tactical Commander of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Brigade 5 said the Burma Army had suffered heavy casualties in its clashes with Karen troops and this had caused its rank and file soldiers to withdraw from battle. Colonel Saw Htoo K’Shaw told Karen News; “The casualties [Burma Army] on the front lines are high. Because…

At a joint press conference held by the National Unity Government (NUG) and the Karenni State Advisory Council (KSCC) on January 3, 2022, the NUG minster said that they will seek justice for the inhumane massacre of civilians by referring the case along with evidence to the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM). The NUG will also seek prosecution of…

The fighting took place in the mountains between Kawkariek and Myawaddy near a Karen National Union controlled area. At least nine Burma Army soldiers, including a battalion commander and a company commander were killed and 13 others wounded in the fighting, according to sources from the local KNLA. A KNLA officer spoke to Karen News about the fighting. “Our troops…

A witness to the killing told Karen News, Naw Khit was first arrested at her farm hut and later killed. “Karen soldiers used to charge their phones at her hut and to take a rest while on patrol. When the Burma Army patrol came, the Karen soldiers ran for cover, but were spotted by the Burma Army. The Burma soldiers…

Padoh Taw Nee, Head of the KNU Foreign Affairs Department explained in an earlier interview with Karen News the Burma military’s strategy against civilians in ethnic areas is to first use ground troops to bomb villages and force the people to leave. Then when KNU defends the displaced villagers, drones and or spy planes are used to locate where people…