environment

A new network of activists and civil society groups has been warning Karen State residents of the dangers of coal through environmental awareness trainings held from July 20 to August 5. The Karen State government greenlit a 1280-megawatt coal-fired power plant in Hpa-An township to be built by joint Thai-Japanese company Toyo-Thai Corporation. The power plant would sit between Wut…

A path has opened for environmental conservationists and rights advocates to strengthen their fight against gold mining and other socially and environmentally destructive projects in the rich forests of Karen State in eastern Myanmar: the Salween Peace Park. The 5,200-sq-km Peace Park is a radical initiative to create an indigenous-led sanctuary to protect indigenous cultural heritage and endangered wildlife. Located…

Mi Kayin villagers in Hpa-an Township held a prayer service for the protection of their land and natural resources threatened by the proposed cement plant on March 29, 2016. The villagers gathered at the base of Mi Kayin Mountain for the public prayer service after a recently revived proposal to develop a limestone quarry and cement factory near their village.…

In a move to raise awareness about environmental issues, the Karen National Union’s Forestry department launched a project to encourage communities living in areas under its control to grow more tress. The KNU’s Forestry Department’s ‘greening project’ wants each household to grow three trees each. Mahn Myint Tun, an officer with the KNU’s Forestry Department told Karen News that all…

On June 5, 2014, the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN) organised an event commemorating the World Environment Day in one of the indigenous Karen areas on the Salween River in Mutraw District (Papun) in Burma. A total of 200 people, including students, youth, parents, teachers and community leaders, attended. The Karen people traditionally rely on the surrounding environment…

Human rights organisations are expressing grave concerns over the fate of a prominent ethnic Karen activist who disappeared after reportedly being arrested on April 17 at Kaengkrachan National Park in Petchaburi province by Thai authorities. The New York based Human Rights Watch said it was concerned that Por Cha Lee Rakcharoen, also known as Billy, had been “forcibly disappeared.” HRW…

Villagers from Myaung Byo, located in Dawei District, have filed a court case over damages allegedly caused by the Heinda mining project operated by Myanmar Pongpipat Company Ltd. “It has had many negative social and economic impacts on our community,” Myaung Byo’s villagers said in a joint statement. Myaung Byo village has around 100 households, with over 500 people, locals…

Thick haze has blanketed the Thai-Burma border district of Mae Sot with local residents claiming it is the worst in living memory. Thick smoke made highways dangerous, caused airline flights in and out of Mae Sot to be cancelled forcing visitors into taking lengthy bus trips. Dense smoke swallowed heavily laden timber trucks as they drove down the Asia Highway…

Environmental researchers have found village water sources close to a tin mining operation in Southern Burma have dangerous levels of lead and arsenic. Independent community-based researchers from Kamoethway, east of Dawei Town, working with an environmentalist expert from the Netherlands carried out water testing in villages close to a tin mining operation and found that the villagers water sources are…

Yesterday, a photo exhibition, ‘Resources Curse’ opened in Bahan Township, Rangoon. The exhibition, organized by the Green Heart Environment Network, draws attention to the contentious Latpaudang Copper Mining Project. U Soe Win Nyein, a graphic artist and an organizer of the exhibition told Karen News that the purpose of the exhibition was to make people more aware of the social…