Karen State

For the first time, a sport event for people with disabilities was held on May 17 in Hpa-an Karen State. Organisers said the aim of the event was to encourage the community to recognize the value of people with disabilities. Myanmar Red Cross, Australia Red Cross, and the Karen Handicap Sports Committee worked together to hold the inaugural Disabled Sport…

Followers of Sayadaw U Thuzana, were instructed by the Buddhist leader to build a pagoda in a Christian church’s compound in Kun Taw Gyi also known as Tha Blu Kla village in Hliangbwe Township, Karen State on April 23. Villagers are concerned that the Abbot’s provocative actions could ignite the already increasing religious tension in the area. More than 300…

The Karen State parliament approved six key ministries on April 7 that will be run by two independent academics, a representative of the military, Members of Parliament from the National League for Democracy and the Union Solidarity and Development Party. Nan Khin Htwe Myint, the Chief Minister of Karen State proposed the successful candidates that would lead the six ministries.…

Saw Beebe, lies flat on his stomach on the family’s wooden floor, and for the last two years that is how he has spent most of his time looking at his now restricted world. He misses going outside and all the childhood activities that his illness now denies him. Saw Beebe, now 9, like most children enjoyed going to school…

A recent meeting between different Karen armed groups reached a decision that the Karen National Union is to lead the groups political agenda. The meeting held on February 29, 2016 at the Karen National Liberation Army’s headquarter in Pa-an District, Karen State is a regular event among the Karen Armed Groups Unity Committee that represents various the KNLA, KNU/KNLA Peace…

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…

The second term of the Karen State Parliament meeting is scheduled to start on 8 February, 2016 and the chairperson is expected to be a Member of State Parliament from the National League for Democracy. The Karen State Party’s chairperson, Nan Khin Htwe Myint, said that the NLD, which won the majority of votes in Karen State, will appoint a…

In messages to mark Karen News Years Day and addressed to Karen both in Burma and across the world, leaders urged unity. “If we are united we will have victory. On this New Year, wherever we are, if we unite our voices from everywhere [all over the world], people will be frightened by the sound of our voices,” Ner Dah…

Naw Tender runs a small clinic in a converted room in her house in Htaw Ywae village in Karen State and said 2015 was a hard year for dengue fever. “We have had 15 cases in December alone, it is still a big a problem, altogether we treated 653 cases this year. We had a eight-year-old girl die – she…

News that authorities in Karen State are planning to crack down on drivers using unlicensed vehicles is causing a great deal of worry among the state’s car owners. Most of the vehicles being driven in Karen State are unlicensed for travel interstate and there is an acknowledgement between drivers and authorities that this is allowed as along as these vehicles…