Opinion

Padoh Saw Thamein Tun, a member of the Karen National Union’s Central Executive Committee explains to Karen News the significance of Karen National Day KNU Day is a very special issue for the whole of the Karen nation. There were many various Karen Organizations in the past. In 1881, the Karen National Association (KNA) became the first organization of the…

The new Burmese government needs to design and implement a national program to eliminate the landmine risk if it is serious about genuine political reconciliation with the ethnic minorities in Burma. Despite democratic reforms and moves to sign ceasefires with non-state armed groups, Burma is still not a signatory to the 1997 Ottawa Convention banning the use of land mines,…

Rumors continue to circulate among refugees about the closing of the U.S. resettlement program. In an effort to get its message to refugees about the issue, the International Rescue Committee’s Resettlement Support Center has issued document with 20 key questions and answers. Karen News has reprinted it in full. FAQ / Key Messages for Beneficiaries Regarding Deadline for Expression of…

After half a century of isolation, Burma is experiencing reforms, which could lead to new development and foreign investment. However, the weakness of Burma’s civilian institutions, the stranglehold on power by the military, fade out voice from opposition needs to be solved for the betterment of the country’s future. If this does not get solved, Burma will fail to move…

January 12 not only marked Karen New Year, but also the first anniversary of the Karen National Union’s (KNU) ceasefire with the Burmese Government. That makes it the longest running truce in the six decades old struggle. This is a cause for optimism. Yet a ceasefire is not an end in itself, peace requires a sustainable and equitable settlement. It…

A number of reports by a diverse range of international and local organizations have scrutinized Burma’s government and while applauding recent positive changes, found it wanting in all functions of government from political inclusion, to rule of law to land rights to healthcare. Professor Desmond Ball of the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University in Canberra…

U Phyinyarthami (also known as Taungalay Sayadaw), the Abbot of Taungalay Temple in Hpa-an Township in Karen State, talked to Karen News about the Karen National Union’s (KNU’s) work and the current problems within the political organisation. Here are Abbot Taungalay Sayadaw’s views. “If I am to give my opinion on the KNU, I would say that every KNU leader…

Naw Ohn Hla is a former political prisoner and a former member of the National League for Democracy, the political party led by Aung San Suu Kyi. She was sentenced in 2009 to two years in Taungoo Prison and was released in 2011. Naw Ohn Hla spoke to Karen News. Q: There is conflict among KNU leaders. Who does it…

The recent development within the KNU’s leadership has sent viral shock wave across the Karen communities both inside and abroad. The revelation that KNLA’s top leader, some brigade commanders, district officials and KNU Central committees journeyed to Pan-An to open a liaison office without KNU’s approval and the subsequent dismissal of three senior members, including the commander-in-chief, has made Karen…

August 12th will be the 62nd Karen Martyrs Day. It marks the 62nd anniversary of the killing of Saw Ba U Gyi and his colleagues. Every year since then Karen people remember those brave heroes, and all the others who have given their lives for our struggle. For Karen people this is not just a struggle for human rights and…