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Recent political changes in Burma by the government suggest it is slowly moving away from the military dictatorship that controlled the country for more than 60-years. However, while the Burma Army continues to forcibly displace and abuse villagers in ethnic areas, skepticism and concern about the government’s motives remain. Ethnic and political opposition groups have spoken out against the government’s…

After four days of an emergency meeting of their senior leaders the Karen National Union has formed a seven member ‘Peace Committee’ to enter into peace talks with the Burma government. The meeting held from 8 to 11 November was attended by members of the KNU central executive committees, central standing committees, and representatives from seven KNLA Brigades and seven…

Burmese government plans to replace armed ceasefire groups with a Border Guard Force now lies in ruins among the smouldering buildings of their army camp based in Ka Ma Maunn, Karen State. As many as 1,000 soldiers from the former Democratic Karen Buddhist Army who initially joined the BGF turned their arms on a Burma army camp at Ka Ma…

Budget cuts affecting an educational INGO that operates in seven refugee camps along the Thai-Burmese border have put additional burdens on refugee families struggling to provide for their children’s schooling. An official at ZOA Refugee Care Thailand, a Netherlands-based NGO, said the organization faces severe funding cuts from major European donors that will affect the group’s support for teacher salaries…

As talk persists about repatriation of Burmese refugees living along Thailand’s western border, a refugee leader said he sees no possibilty for the safe return of tens of thousands of refugees and displaced persons in the immediate future. Saw Tun, leader of the Mae La refugee camp outside Mae Sot in Thailand’s Tak province, said the current fighting in eastern…