Burma Campaign UK Welcomes Release of 34 Resistance Fighters

Burma Campaign UK today welcomed the release of 34 resistance fighters from Burma, who have been held in India for more than 13 years, despite never having committed a crime […]

KNU Statement on New Military Government & Concerns of Ethnic Nationalities

With the 2008 Constitution in hand, which is devoid of any guarantee for the rights of the ethnic nationalities, and after stage-managing freely the 2010 elections, which did not allow for free expression of the voters […]

84,000 Karen Civilians Call on Ban Ki-moon to Help Stop Attacks in Burma

On Monday 28 February 2011, a petition signed by 84,000 Ethnic Karen civilians will be handed in the office of the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and other world leaders, including British Prime Minister David Cameron and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard. The petition delivery will take place in 8 countries including Japan, Norway, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Canada. This petition is endorsed by 30 Karen organizations from 15 countries around the world and it is the first time a Karen petition will be delivered to world leaders […]

KNU Update on Impacts Resulting from Hatgyi Dam Construction

On August 4th, 2009 we, the KNU, issued a statement concerning the Hatgyi dam construction project. In the statement, we called upon the countries investing in construction of the dam to withdraw their investment as the construction of the dam would cause massive damage to the environment and bring on widespread human rights violations against local populations in the form of burning down of villages, looting of property, crop destruction, killing of livestock, extortion of money, torture and killing of suspects, rape of women, forced relocation and forced labor by troops of the SPDC military dictatorship […]

KNU Statement Condemning Election-Related Violence in Burma’s Border Areas

We, the Karen National Union (KNU), strongly condemn recent attacks by Burma’s military regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), on Myawaddy Town and several other locations in Burma’s border areas, where at least 3 civilians were killed, and more injured. These latest attacks are part of the SPDC’s systematic violence against Burma’s ethnic peoples.

The conflict in Myawaddy began on 7 November, the day of Burma’s first elections in 20 years, when civilians complained of being threatened and intimidated to vote for the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), rather than the local Karen party which was their preference […]

UN Must Seize KNU Ceasefire Opportunity for Nationwide Burma Ceasefire

The Burma Campaign UK today called on the United Nations and international community to seize the opportunity created by the KNU declaring a one-day ceasefire to turn it into a nationwide ceasefire […]

CSW Welcomes One-Day Ceasefire in Burma by Karen National Union

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) today welcomed the decision by the Karen National Union (KNU) to observe a unilateral one-day ceasefire on 21 September, the International Day of Peace. CSW calls on Burma’s military regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), to declare a permanent nationwide ceasefire and end its military offensives against civilians in the ethnic states […]

KNU to Observe One-Day Ceasefire on International Day of Peace

1. In 2001 the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 55/282 designating September 21 as International Day of Peace.

2. The Karen National Union (KNU), established on the democratic principles, has been struggling for peace, democracy and human rights, equality, self-determination and freedom of the entire Karen people.

3. To demonstrate our commitment to peace, and respect for the United Nations, the KNU will observe a unilateral one-day ceasefire on September 21st […]

19 – 25 July: ASEAN Foreign Ministers Criticize but Fail to Act on Burma

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met earlier this week for the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting to discuss various regional issues, including Burma’s upcoming elections. In contrast to the statements of support for the elections that emerged from the bloc’s 16th summit earlier this year, this ministerial meeting saw foreign ministers expressing more apprehension than support. “Myanmar, I think, got an earful last night,” said Surin Pitsuwan, ASEAN Chairman, “ASEAN is very much concerned.”[…]

Pre-Election Military Operations by SPDC

The SPDC military junta has started pre-election military operations, targeting the innocent Karen civilians in the Karen State and other KNU areas.

1. On July 23 at 10:00 am, the SPDC troops heavily shelled with mortars Tha-dah-Der village in Papun (Mudraw) District for more than 4 hours […]