Karen

The US has announced its resettlement program for refugees from Burma is to stop in June this year. The US Ambassador to Thailand, David Robinson visited Mae Lae refugee camp on Friday and told refugees that his country’s resettlement program for refugees from Burma will stop on June 5, 2013. Saw Tha Kae, vice chairperson of the Mae La Camp…

Speaking at ceremony held in Rangoon to honour retired Karen university teachers, professor Saw Si Thet Paw, told the large gathering that Karen people were in danger of losing their ability to speak their native languages. Speaking to Karen News, Professor Saw Si Thet Paw said. “When I started at the school, Karen people from Insein and Kyit Myin Taing…

Derek Mitchell, the US Ambassador to Burma met with key Karen National Union members in Pa-an (Hpa-an) earlier this month. KNU officials said a number of issues were discussed with Ambassador Mitchell, including, the current political climate, the process of the KNU and government ceasefires with ethnic armed groups and the ethnic alliances. The KNU general secretary, Padoh Saw Kweh…

Mya Kan Thar Mining Company received permission from the State government to mine for antinomy in the Lay Thar Plaw area in Kyain Seikgyi Township in Karen State. U Myo Aung Htay, secretary of the Karen State Administration Office signed, on behalf of the State Minister, a letter dated December 27, 2012 and sent to the Union Mining Minister at…

A memorial prayer service was held for Padoh Saw David Taw, the late leader of Karen National Union who was also a member of peace committee, after a hundred days of his death at Hsa Thoo Lei Learning Center in the Thai border town of Mae Sot, Tak Province on Saturday, January 19. Naw Jin Jar, wife of David Taw…

Senior Thai officials, including the Minister of Interior, visited Mae La refugee camp in Tha Song Yang district of Tak Province to assess the situation of refugees on Thursday, January 13. Thailand’s Interior Minister, Jarupong Ruangsuwan, together with the Tak Governor and Tha Song Yang district officials made a short visit to Mae La refugee camp and met with the…

The Minister of Border and Security Affairs, Colonel Zaw Lwin, representing the government, joined with more than 4000 Karen people to celebrate Karen New Year Day, January 12, in Myitta village, Tenasserim Divion, in southern Burma. The KNU Mergui-Tavoy District Secretary, Padoh Saw Thaw Thi Pay, told the gathering that life for Karen in the area had got better since…

Ashin Pinnya Thami, the head monk from Taunggalay, sent a special Karen New Year blessing to all Karen people. In his public statement Ashin Pinnya Thami said. “Today is the national New Year Day for all the Karen people. Today, the inherent nature of the entire Karen Nation can be seen in the features and characteristics of our race.” Ashin…

The Karen Women Action Group, a community-based women’s group working out of Rangoon gave its approval for the issues the Karen National Union raised in its meeting with the government and its key ministers, including the president and the head of the country’s army. Naw Susana Hla Hla Soe, director of KWAG spoke to Karen News. “We are pleased to…

The 2013 Karen New Year celebrations will be first. It will be the first time, the Karen people and its political organisdation, the Karen National Union (KNU) will celebrate the Karen New Year in a government controlled area. This was made possible when the KNU and the government reached cease-fire agreement last year. The Karen New Year 2752 celebrations in…