Deni’s story
Q: Can you tell me a little bit about your history?
A: My parents come from Burma but I was born in Thailand. I was born in HuayPhuKhet village, Thailand in 1995. I am Kayan Padaung. I studied in my village until grade 6. When I reached grade six, I moved to study in Karenni Refugee Camp 1. I have been there until now. After I finished grade 10, I studied at SDC School. Even though, I was born in Thailand I do not have a Thai passport. I can only travel within Mae Hong Son province.
Q: What do you want to do in the future?
A: In the future, I want to help my people. I will tell them about what I have learnt at SDC School and share my knowledge in my community as much as I know. I want my community to know about the subjects I have studied. I want them to know about the environment and rule...
SDC Free and Fair election campaign
During the campaign, our trainers traveled to five different villages to share information and distribute leaflets to the wider pubic about free and fair elections and democratic processes.
The purpose of this campaign was to raise awareness within Karenni State of what a free and fair election is and how to participate. This is in anticipation of the election scheduled for the end of 2015 in Burma.
Our trainers traveled to 5 villages in 5 different districts. In each village, they organised a plan in advance with the village head. They then ran a training to explain about free and fair elections. The trainings were very important because many people in Karenni State are illiterate so they are unable to read our brochures.
The trainings were held between 9 and 12 on five different mornings. Each one of the trainings had between 50 and 80 participants. During the trainings our team spoke about many different topics. They introduced democracy and spoke about; electing...
IDP rehabilitation in Karenni State
By John Paul for Kantarawaddy Times. November 2014.
Translated and edited by SDC students, staff and volunteers.
In Karenni State, the government and KNPP have been implementing a project to establish a model village for rehabilitation of some Internally Displaced People. (IDPs).
Khu Plu Reh, a coordinator of the KNPP liaison office in Loikaw said “ this program should have been finished in September 2013 but it has not yet been implemented. The project is still trying to be carried out due to difficulties including transportation.” The implementation of this project is a result of discussions between the ceasefire groups and the central government in November 2013. It is one of seven points of the ceasefire agreements. This project will be implemented on the eastern bank of the Salween, at Mae La Yu Chaw Soe, in Shadaw Township, Karenni State.
“The future of this model village is uncertain because it depends on the ceasefire process. The Burmese government doesn’t yet have a plan to...
Solyaku village will require a demonstration if the SPDC don’t stop confiscating land
By San Phyo Htun for Kantarawaddy Times. September 2014.
Translated and edited by SDC students, staff and volunteers.
In Solyaku village, Hpruso township, the Burmese Army’s 531st light infantry battalion have taken villager’s land. If the government cannot solve this problem, the villagers will demonstrate said Solyaku villager, Khu Htu Reh.
“We are always looking at this situation. What will they say to us? How will they respond to our demands? What measures will they take? Finally, if they do not respond to us or do not take any measures, we will demonstrate.”
Solyaku village is surrounded by mountains. There are only a few areas on the eastern side for growing plants. The local people rely on growing plants and using this land for agriculture. This land has now been confiscated by the military, so the local villagers do not have land to use for agriculture anymore.
This issue has already been submitted to the officials according to Oo Sue Reh, a villager from Solyaku....
2015 – Free and fair election campaign
Our SDC is currently running a free and fair election campaign inside Karenni State. Our inside trainers are sharing information to communities in Karenni State about what a free and fair election is. They are also distributing a leaflet about free and fair elections. We will update more about this activity when our trainers return soon....
Trainings on the constitution, democracy and governments
In February 2014, our alumni inside completed their inside trainings. In our 2013- 2014 school year, we conducted three trainings on the constitution. The trainers were SDC alumni: Gay Gorio, Na Ree, Aye Aung and Saw Maung.
35 local villagers attended each of the trainings. The first training was in Pruso; the second was in Demoso (LeeWoo); the final training was in Demoso (Kwaingei). Each project required substantial on the ground planning because of the unpredictable situation inside Karenni State.
Our alumni planned and organised the projects by firstly informing the village heads of their intentions to run trainings. This was important in order to get permission and enable people to attend. The trainings were on the subjects of democracy, government, human rights and the rule of law.
During the trainings, the feedback from participants was that the knowledge was useful. One measure of success has been the requests we have received from people in Pruso for further trainings. There have also been...
Research and Campaign Regarding the Dam Development Project In Karenni State
The Inside Program was conducted in May 2012. SDC conducted research regarding the dam development project in Karenni State. The damming of Salween River has caused environmental degradation and forced displacement over the past decades, and has been the cause of violent conflicts. The current dam project funded by Chinese investors continues to ignore environmental consequences, and will adversely affect the local population. After researching the current situation, SDC published a report to draw attention of the environmental issues.
Learn more about the Hatgyi Dam....
Law wha’s story
Class of 2013
My name is Law Wha. I am 25 years old. I was born in Law Da Lay village, Loi Kaw Township of Karenni State. I am Kayah of Karenni nationality. I am one of the SDC students from the SDC and have been learning there. My parents are farmers. My family moved to Baw La Khen Township from Law Da Lay village in 1992 to find freedom from the political situation under the ruling of the SPDC government and the Burmese military government. When we arrived in Baw La Khen, my father bought a plot of land and built a small house with the little money he had. After arriving there, the economic situation of my family worsened, and as a result, we had nothing to eat but boiled rice.
There are 9 members in my family including my parents. I am the 3rd of 7 children. I start school when I was 5 years old, but because of...