ethnic

The Karen State government will invite the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to the upcoming multi-ethnic cultural festival in the Karen State. Led by the Karen State government, the first multi-ethnic cultural festival will be held at Thiri Stadium in the state’s capital Hpa-an from February 9 to 12. “We have invited her verbally a few months ago.…

In one Karen State township, ethnic literature teachers are seeing a windfall of cash thanks to a donation from the Karen National Union’s education wing. The Karen Education Department (KED) provided funds to support 473 village-appointed teachers and ethnic literature teachers in the Win Yaw area under Kya-in Seikgyi township for the 2017-2018 academic year. The donation ceremony was held…

State and region officials are calling on all potential ethnic literature teachers to come forward and apply for daily wage teacher posts. To make the process that much easier, ethnic committee officials have pledged to assist potential applicants with the required paperwork. “Anyone who wants to apply should come [to my home]. They need to bring recommendation letters. They can…

A Karen State official is accusing some school administrators of putting up road blocks to prevent Karen language and literature classes from being offered. “The textbooks haven’t been issued yet this year. Some headmasters don’t want ethnic literature to be taught because they worry that it would affect the teaching hours,” said Saw Aye Mya, chair of Kayin State’s Karen…

In effort to bolster Karen traditions, the Mon State government has donated dance costumes and instruments to five universities, an official said. The Karen literature and culture committees at Mawlamyine University, Mon State’s Technological University, the University of Computer Studies, the Government Technical Institute and the Agriculture Institute each received K1.5million-worth of Karen costumes and traditional musical instruments, according to…

The Shan Human Rights Foundation (SHRF) have released a report that accuses the Burma Army of shelling the northern Shan region of Mong Yai forcing 300 villagers to flee. The Shan Human Rights Foundation statement said that “on September 10 at 8:00 am, a group of about 60 Burma Army troops from LIB 325 based in Mong Yai and the…

The Karen State government is planning to hold a multi-ethnic cultural festival next year. On September 2, government officials held a coordination meeting at the state Hluttaw office. The Bamar, Mon and Pa’O ethnic affairs ministers, as well as officials from Karen, Pa’O, Shan, Geba and Mon literature and culture committees attended. “The aim is to promote unity and amity…

Amid efforts to entice more ethnic armed groups into the fold of the nationwide ceasefire agreement, the Karen National Union shared its peace process experiences with the Karenni National Progressive Party at a meeting in Thailand last week. The KNU is one of the eight initial signatories to the nationwide ceasefire agreement and has promoted the pact at peace meetings.…

In an exclusive interview with Karen News, Saw Nay Htoo, director of the Burma Medical Association explains why its important ethnic health organizations should be providers of healthcare services to ethnic communities. He points out that Burma is a country where government healthcare provision is almost non-existence and why ethnic organizations need to be involved in reforming Burma’s ailing healthcare…

A Mon State official has pledged K16 million (US$11,800) for a traditional Karen wrist trying ceremony, an event celebrating Karen culture and unity. “We are emphasizing development, and trying our best to support tradition and culture,” said Saw Myint Khine, Mon State’s Karen Affairs Minister. The annual wrist tying ceremony is celebrated on the full moon day of Wagaung (the…