Investors’ Haste to Build Big Dams is Undermining Fragile Peace Process in Karen State

The push by investors to proceed with large dams in Karen areas of Burma is threatening to undermine ongoing ceasefire negotiations between the Karen National Union (KNU) and the Burmese government.

Increased Burma Army security around dam sites and blatant disregard for concerns of impacted communities are heightening tensions, and throwing into doubt the government’s sincerity in conducting ceasefire talks […]

Statement on Initial Agreement between KNU and Burmese Government

The 19-member KNU delegation held talks with Railways Minister, U Aung Min, and other representatives of the Burmese government on 12-1-2012, in Pa-an. The KNU delegation reached an initial agreement with the Burmese government’s representatives towards a ceasefire agreement. When the delegation returns to our headquarters, the KNU leadership will discuss about subsequent steps required in this dialogue with the Burmese government.

All the information I’ve given you, I faced it myself: Rural testimony on abuse in eastern Burma since November 2010

Human rights abuses faced by ethnic communities across rural eastern Burma have continued since November 2010, and are consistent with patterns KHRG has documented since 1992. Drawing from a dataset of 1,270 oral testimonies, sets of images and documentation […]

Union-Level Agreement with the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army – 5th Brigade

An unofficial translation of the union-level agreement between the Union Peace Making Committee and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army – 5th Brigade.

State-Level Agreement with the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army – 5th Brigade

An unofficial translation of the state-level agreement between the Karen State Peace Making Group and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army – 5th Brigade (Kalo Htoo Baw).

An Open Letter in Support of the President of Myanmar’s Decision on the Suspension of the Myitsone Dam Project and a Call for a Review of the Hatgyi Dam Project in Kayin (Karen) State

We, the members of Karen Rivers Watch wish to express our appreciation of your government’s decision on the suspension of the Myitsone Dam project in Kachin State . Karen Rivers Watch sees this decision as an important step towards […]

Civilian and Military Order Documents: March 2008 to July 2011

This report includes translated copies of 207 order documents issued by military and civilian officials of Burma’s central government, as well as non-state armed groups now formally subordinate to the state army as ‘Border Guard’ battalions, to village heads in eastern Burma between March 2008 and July 2011 […]

KESAN Report Endangered Elephant Need Protection

Today, the Karen Environmental and Social Action Network (KESAN) announces the results of their report, Endangered Elephants in Megatha Forest, Karen State, Burma. KESAN researchers found evidence that Megatha Forest is home to 15-18 elephants in 2-3 small groups of 3-7 individuals […]

From Prison to Front Line: Analysis of convict porter testimony 2009 – 2011

Over the last two decades, KHRG has documented the abuse of convicts taken by the thousands from prisons across Burma and forced to serve as porters for frontline units of Burma’s state army, the Tatmadaw. In the last two years alone, Tatmadaw units have used at least 1,700 convict porters during two distinct, ongoing combat operations in Karen State and eastern Bago Division; this report presents full transcripts and analysis of interviews with 59 who escaped […]

The Cause of Cessation of Civil War and Realization of National Peace – The Cause of Entire People

The civil war in Burma is a dreadful war that came into being since 1948. After sixty years, no successive government has been able to stop the civil war and achieve genuine peace. The SLORC-SPDC military regime’s attainment of ceasefire with ethnic armed forces was but a long-term plan to corral them into surrender […]