ethnic

A group of six ethnic political parties from Burma – the Nationalities Brotherhood Forum, released a statement to announce that they want newsletters and journals published in ethnic languages as they cannot rely on the government to do so. The statement released during the NBF’s quarterly meeting was also attended by representatives from ethnic political parties. Sa Be Kyin Oo,…

Karen people who have resettled in Australia are determined that their children do not forget their heritage or their traditions. This year a Karen community living in Melbourne, Victoria invited other ethnic groups from Burma and local Aboriginal leaders to attend the annual wrist-tying ceremony. Nan Let Let Win an organizer of this year’s wrist-tying celebrations said. “The practice and…

The Shan State Army claims continuing attacks on their bases by government troops is disrupting the peace process agreed between the two sides in February this year. The Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) signed a ceasefire in February, but recent attacks by government soldiers has left other ethnic armed groups to consider if the military ceasefires a…

The Karenni National Progressive Party opened keep to ceasefire agreement with the government by opening its second and third liaison offices last week. Khu Denia from the KNPP confirmed to Karen News. “We agreed to open three liaison offices – this we have done. We have opened liaison offices in Loi Kaw, Hpasawng and the Shadaw area. We will work…

S’Aik Klate’s, 9 years old, an ethnic Pwo Karen boy from War Khe Ma Township in Irrawaddy Division, is working at a cold drink shop in the village called “Gayan”. The village is not S’Aik Klate’s hometown, but he came to work there with his father and brother during the summer. The Pwo are one of the two main sub-ethnic…

Mon politicians and civil society groups claim information on national identity cards has denied them a getting a representative into Parliament. The Mon Literature and Culture Committee (Yangon) wants corrected what they claim is the wrong ethnicity information on national identity cards and the household registration papers of Mon people in the Yangon Region. Nai Min Thaung Shin, Chairman of…

The Karenni National Progressive Party met and discussed with Community-Based-Organizations (CBO) from Loikaw Town in mid June to set up a ‘peace-talk’ monitoring group to keep tabs on the on-going talks between the government and the KNPP. in the Kayah State. The CBO initiative followed on from agreement reached between the KNPP and government representatives on June 9th.The KNPP put…

The Kachin Women Association Thailand released a report – Ongoing Impunity – that documents the continued abuse of civilians by the Burma Army. The report, released yesterday at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, details the killings, rape, forced labor and displacement that has occurred in the last twelve months of fighting between the Kachin Independent Army and government troops.…

Naw Zipporah Sein, the Karen National Union’s general secretary welcomed a statement from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi calling for more development in ethnic areas. Noble peace prize Laurent, Aung San Suu Kyi, asked for foreign investors and international development aid providers to consider working not only in central Burma, but also in ethnic rural areas. Aung San Suu Kyi…

Nai Yekkha and Nai Myo Twe from New Mon State Party who were serving life sentences in Burma’s notorious jails were released on April 30. Burma government representatives, Union Minister for Electric Power, U Zaw Min, and the Mon State Prime Minister handed the two prominent political prisoners to Nai Htaw Mon, the chairman of the NMSP in Moulmein Town.…