Articles

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…

UHM Development Co., Ltd has won a tender on June 21 to build an international standard shopping mall (plaza) in the Karen State’s capital Hpa-an. “Our company, which received the highest mark, has been selected. We believe our company was selected because we consider the needs of Hpa-an residents, how useful it (the shopping mall) will be for them and…

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said it has never encouraged the refugees living at the Thai-Myanmar border to return home and it has only provided necessary assistance. The UNHCR (Hpa-an office) head Ms. Maureen McBrien said this during the World Refugees Day ceremony on June 20. “The UNHCR can only work in Myanmar under an invitation from…

Karen community living in Minnesota, U.S. will call for equal rights to education like other races at the Minnesota Capitol on June 15. Speaking to the Karen News on June 14, the Karen Community of Minnesota (KCM) leader Morrison Johnny said the KCM will lead the Karen Advocacy Day and demand to meet with state government officials. “We will collect…