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Villagers in Nat Gon and nearby villages of Hpa-an Township, Karen State panicked after noticing their water sources had turned black. They are now too scared to drink the water. In early October, villages in Bar Kat village tract, about one mile in the west of Hpa-an town, found their water water-wells, ponds and streams had turned dark making them…

The Karen National Union briefed 168 representatives from its departments and 63 Karen civil society organizations at Law Khee Lar (also known as) Lay Wah in Pa-An district, Karen State from 4 to 5 October, 2019. The KNU said the aim of the meeting was to update community groups on the current political negotiations it faced – items discussed included…

Preparations are underway to start operation of the 2nd Thai-Burma Friendship Bridge, connecting the Thai border town of Mae Sot in Tak Province and the Burma border town of Myawaddy in Karen State, by October 30, 2019. Union Minister U Thant Zin Maung from the Ministry of Transport and Communications travelled to Myawaddy on October 5 to inspect the readiness…

Three Karen activists arrested for organizing a peaceful community ceremony to commemorate the 69th Karen Martyr’s Day in Rangoon were given 15-days in jail by Kyauktada Township court today, October 2, 2019. The three organizers, Karen Women Union, chairperson, Naw Ohn Hla, youth leaders, Saw Albert Cho and S’ Thein Zaw Min were earlier charged under section 20 of the…

On August 12th, Naw Ohn Hla, a Karen activist, and some leaders of the Karen Youth Network in Yangon led a group of about 100 people to hold a ceremony commemorating the 69th Karen Martyr’s Day in downtown Yangon. This was after the government refused to give them permission to hold the commemoration ceremony in a church or a monastery.…

Burma’s government has come under scrutiny for arresting three Karen for organizing a peaceful community ceremony and to use the word ‘Martyrs’. The event was to commemorate the 69th Karen Martyr’s Day held in Rangoon on August 12. The three organizers, Karen Women Union, chairperson, Naw Ohn Hla, Saw Albert Cho and S’ Thein Zaw Min were charged under section…

Earlier this July, 157 refugees more from camps along the Thai-Burma border returned to Burma. This was the fourth group officially to voluntarily return facilitated by UNHCR and government officials from Burma and Thailand. As with previous returnees, the new group went to the Kyauk Lone Gyi reception center located in the Burma border town Myawaddy and welcomed by government…

On World Refugee Day, 2019, the Karen Peace Support Network (KPSN) issued a statement calling on the European Union, United Kingdom and other donors to support refugees and IDPs in eastern Burma and Thailand. With the peace building process stalled and without any guaranteed political solutions, it is impossible for the refugees and displaced people to return to their original…

This year’s World Refugee Day Today is marked with a global call for people to #StepWithRefugees. On the Thai-Burma border, refugees who recently returned to their homeland are concerned how to make a living and look after their families. Since 2016, and encouraged by recent political changes in Burma, 729 people from the nine refugee camps on the Thai Burma…

Hundreds of Karen representatives from 56 different groups gathered to strengthen Karen customary land management systems at a seminar held at Lay Wah, Karen State from May 29 to 30, 2019. The Kaw Customary Land Seminar was attended by 519 people including representatives from local community and civil society, donors, INGOs, political parties, and officers of the Karen National Union.…