By Saw Mort Ei Tu Hta (IDP) camp is located in Mutraw district, on the banks of the Salween River, its total population is 3,352 people living in 475 houses. The camp was set up in 2006 when the Burmese Government military in the Nay Pyi Daw area occupied the Karen National Union areas, including…
Tag: Burma
Concerns about Burma’s Transitional Arrangement
By Legal Aid Network Following the meeting of Aung San Suu Kyi (the newly elected leader of Burma and leader of the National League for Democracy) and the former Senior General Than Shwea, which reportedly took place on December 4, presumptions and speculations surrounding the purpose and content of their meeting have appeared from various…
Protecting Karen Traditions
By Saw Mort When I was in Umphiume refugee camp on the Thai/Burma border making a video about Karen traditions and culture, I met and interviewed 85-year-old Pu Hsaw Hpah Wa. During the interview he told me he is very worried that the use of traditional musical instruments will erode and then slowly disappear from Karen…
Going to Bed at Night Without Fear
By Max Ediger “What is peace?” That is such a simple question, and yet books have been written to try to provide a detailed and inclusive answer. For people living in conflict situations, however, the answer may be quite simple yet profound. A good friend of mine lives and works in the Karen state of Burma…
Celebrating with Caution
By Max Ediger The streets of Burma’s towns and cities are filled with the sounds of celebration. An election, the most democratic in the past 25 years, ended with the opposition National League for Democracy Party (NLD) experiencing a landslide victory. Votes are still being counted, but the military, which dominated Burmese politics for decades, agreed that the…
The UEC Must Review Discriminatory Candidate Rejections
By Burma Partnership On Aug. 20, the Union Election Commission (UEC) announced the preliminary candidate lists for the upcoming Nov. 8 general election. Thus far, 5,866 candidates have been nominated from 93 political parties across the country with both the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the National League for Democracy (NLD) each fielding…