Articles

The State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s peace talk in Hpa-an has been postponed indefinitely due to bad weather, instead the State Counsellor visited flood victims in relief camps in the Karen State’s capital. The peace talk was originally scheduled to be held between the State Counsellor and local ethnic youths, computer experts, and civil society organizations at Zwekabin…

The Karen State authorities have been clearing up unauthorized buildings since July 17 on the land that has been released by the military in San Pa Ree Village Tract, Hpa-an Township. A total of 928.93 acres of land out of 1,128.39 acres, which has been released by the military, has been designated by the government as state-owned land. The government…

The wet season in Burma is when dengue fever strikes communities. The Karen State public health department has diagnosed 436 people dengue fever as of July 14, 2018. Among the recorded 436 cases, 306 were from Hpa-an, 35 from Kawkareik, 39 from Hlaingbwe, 20 from Myawady, 8 from Kyainseikkyi, 22 from Hpapun and 6 from Thandaung Townships. Doctor Tun Min…

Henry Zwartz, a former Karen News journalist, now working for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation was nominated for a 2018 Walkley Young Journalist of the Year Award. The event took place in Sydney on Wednesday July 18. Henry’s nomination was for his visual documentation – The photo rich stories of Tasmania’s north-west – while working out of the ABC’s Burnie’s office…

A skirmish erupted between the Tatmadaw and the Karen National Union (KNU) in the area controlled by the KNU Brigade 5 in Hpapun (Mu Traw) District in the Karen State on July 12 while the third session of the Union Peace Conference (21st Century Panglong) is being held in Naypyidaw. The Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) Brigade 5 commander Brig…

National solidarity should be built in the union through freedom, equality, and justice between the ethnic people and not through military pressure and force, said the Karen National Union (KNU) chair General Mutu Say Poe in his speech on the first day of the Union Peace Conference – 21st Century Panglong held at MCC-2 Hall in Naypyidaw on July 11.…

Over 5,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Myaing Gyi Ngu in Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State have run out of food since July 6 and they are in immediate need of rice and other food supplies, officials from the IDP camp said. Saw Tun, an official in-charge of food supply at Myaing Gyi Ngu IDP camp, said the IDPs consume 21…

The National Ethnic Youth Alliance (NEYA) released a statement on July 4 to denounce the government for taking action and using violence in the crackdown against ethnic Karenni (Kayah) youths who were protesting against the plan to erect Bogyoke Aung San statue in the Karenni State’s capital Loikaw. The NEYA denounces the government for charging ten Karenni youths with defamation…

Children from 21 villages in Karen State will reap the benefits from an Australia family’s wish to make their father’s 70th birthday extra special. David Ziegler from Sydney, Australia wanted to make Martin, his father’s 70th birthday memorable. David contacted Kanchana Thornton, the director of the Burma Children Medical Fund to see if there was a project he could support…

The Ei Tu Hta IDP Supporting Committee issued a statement on June 25 to urge the government to address the root causes of displacement before closing down internally displaced person (IDP) camps. The committee’s spokesperson Padoh Mahn Mahn Mahn said concerns have been raised after the Union Minister of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Dr. Win Myat Aye talked about…