Burma

Earlier this month a coalition of Karen environmental community based groups, the Karen River Watch, joined local villagers to protest the building of the hydro-power Hat Gyi Dam, in Hlaingbwe Township, Karen State. The protest marked the International Day of Action for Rivers and Against Dams, held each year on March 14, 2015. The Hat Gyi Dam is one of…

Ethnic based and private media groups operating in Burma have raised their concerns on increased media restriction in Burma at a conference held in Harkar of Chin State on March 19, 2015. Around 90 media groups including ethnic media groups and private media groups from different parts of the country got together to discuss the current media law, media development…

Laws which allow inspections of private properties without warrants and require the registration and government approval of household guests are draconian and open to abuse by the authorities, a report by Fortify Rights said today. “ In the past two weeks, Myanmar authorities have reportedly searched private residences under the pretence of checking for unregistered overnight guests in order to…

Opposition to the Burmese government’s use of force against students protesting over the introduction of an education bill is growing. Dr Cynthia Maung, founder of the Mae tao Clinic on the Thai Burma border said that the use of force undermines democratic reform. Speaking to Karen News Dr Cynthia said. “The students are exercising their right to freedom of speech,…

The advocacy group, Burma Campaign UK released a statement that “welcomed a new report by the British government,” that acknowledged ‘Burma’s reforms process was ‘of significant concern. The Burma Campaign UK said that the British government’s “admission came in the annual human rights report by the British Foreign Office, following a months’ long campaign by Burma Campaign UK to persuade…

The Karen National Union, currently holding peace talks with the government, issued a statement supporting protesters opposed to the new National Education Bill, approved by the country’s parliament, but yet to be ratified by President U Thein Sein. The KNU said in its statement that the government’s use of force against ‘peaceful’ protesters is excessive. “The security forces are using…

A delegation, advocating on behalf of refugees and displaced people from Burma took their cause to Britian’s Parliament in an attempt to highlight the affects of funding cuts on services to people along the Thai Burma. “As refugees, we are under tremendous pressure in the camps. There have been many reductions in services including cuts to healthcare, education, shelter, and…

Ethnic communities have spent decades building vital services in the absence of government help, but there are now fears interference could result in their work being undermined. While acknowledging Myanmar needs help, Cynthia Maung is not optimistic that a $100 million (about 3.2 billion baht) agreement with the World Bank for essential health services will benefit ethnic community health organisations…

A new report by a network of ethnic community health organisations was released today at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, Bangkok. The report, The Long Road to Recovery, based on data surveyed from 64 townships, with a target population of half a million people, “shows decreased rates of malaria and maternal malnutrition, and improved patterns of breastfeeding.” Despite these…

Parents and education service providers of migrant communities in the Thai border town of Mae Sot are struggling to continue sending their children to school. Migrant education organisations told Karen News that the closure of migrant schools is caused by withdrawal of funding by international donors. Officials from the Thai Ministry of Education, the Burmese Migrant Workers Education Committee, World…