The Repression of Ethnic Minority Activists

Myanmar urged to end repression of ethnic minorities before elections

Myanmar’s government must halt its repression of ethnic minority activists before forthcoming national and local elections, Amnesty International warned in a major report released on Tuesday.

The 58-page report, The Repression of ethnic minority activists in Myanmar, draws on accounts from more than 700 activists from the seven largest ethnic minorities […]

Burma army burns over 70 houses & intensifies offensive over Karen

Over 70 houses, a mobile health clinic and two schools in eastern Burma have been burnt down by army patrols stepping up the offensive on Karen villagers, according to the Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People (CIDKP). Most recently, Burma army allied troops set fire to 46 houses in Toe Hta area and 28 houses […]

2,100 Displaced, Villages Burned, Schools Abandoned as Seven Burma Army Battalions Attack

Over 2,100 people displaced, 4 villages burned, 14 schools abandoned and a clinic burned as seven Burma Army battalions attack villagers in Western Karen State, Burma. 12 February 2010. (Reports relayed from teams in the field with the IDPs)

More than 2,100 newly displaced Karen villagers hide from Burma Army after attacks

Seven Burma Army battalions (Five as the assault element and two in support) attacked villagers in Ler Doh township, Nyaunglebin District, Western Karen State, displacing over 2,100 villagers. […]

Asean MPs requests Thailand to halt plans to return Burma asylum seekers

The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Myanmar Caucus (AIPMC) is gravely concerned for the well being of unregistered Karen refugees currently residing in displacement sites in Tha Song Yang District, Tak. Announcements last month from the Thai government relating to the planned forced repatriation of the refugees beginning in February 2010 have caused renewed concern for their safety. […]

Karen Villagers Flee as Burma Army Escalates Attacks

Burmese government troops have stepped up their attacks on Karen civilians, burning down dozens of houses and a clinic and forcing schools to close and around 2,000 Karen villagers to flee into the jungle, according to Karen relief groups.

The troops burnt down more than 70 houses in several villages in Kyaukkyi Township in Nyaunglebin District, Pegu Division, as well as one mobile clinic […]

Burma’s Regime Escalates Attacks against Karen Villagers, Destroys Mobile Health Clinic, Schools, Villages, Forcing Thousands to Flee

(Washington, DC and Bangkok) While Burma’s military regime has been trying to disarm ethnic ceasefire groups at the China-Burma border with its so-called “Border Guard Force” plan, its soldiers have escalated military offensives against ethnic Karen people in eastern Burma this week, destroying not only villages but also a vital mobile health clinic, that sent […]

Repatriation of Karen Refugees Halted for Time Being

According to the Thai Foreign Ministry, the repatriation of refugees from Burma’s Karen State has been halted for the time being. Spokesman Thani Thongphakdi said that the Foreign Ministry wants “to dispel any concerns that their return would not be on a voluntary basis.” Friends of Burma (FOB) has informed us that it has not […]

Thailand Begins Forcibly Repatriating Karen Refugees

We have heard that 3 families of Karen refugees have been sent back to Burma today, despite promises from the Thai military that all the refugees would be safe. The families were staying in temporary camps at Nong Bua (also called No Bu) and Mae U Su, in Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, Thailand, […]

Karen Refugees to be Forcibly Repatriated to Burma

Thai authorities have announced that they will begin repatriating up to 3,000 ethnic Karen refugees to a land-mined war zone, on 5 February. These refugees from Burma’s Karen State fled the SPDC’s offensive in June, and are currently staying in temporary camps in Tha Song Yang, Tak Province, Thailand. The Thai authorities claim that these […]

3,000 Ethnic Karen Refugees At Risk Of Deportation From Thailand To Burma

The Burma Campaign UK today called on the government of Thailand not to go ahead with forcing around 3,000 ethnic Karen refugees back to Burma. The refugees fled into Thailand in June 2009 following a military offensive by the Burmese Army and their allies, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), in Karen State, Eastern Burma. […]