Empowering Communities, Securing Peace, Protecting Environment, Land and Livelihood
Indigenous Karen Wildlife Guardians (2): Yomujoh Community Forest Rangers
On December 2023, the third round of community forest ranger was conducted through the collaboration between the Salween Peace Park Governing Committee, Mutraw District KNU, and the Karen Environmental & …Social Action Netowrk (KESAN). The training took place in the Salween Peace Park, Mutraw district, Kawthoolei, South-eastern Burma. This specific group of community rangers were trained to protect wildlife and forest in the newly proposed wildlife sanctuary which located in two districts of Kawthoolei. Please watch the video for more detail.[+] Show More
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Indigenous Karen Wildlife Guardians (2): Yomujoh Community Forest Rangers
On December 2023, the third round of community forest ranger was conducted through the collaboration between the Salween Peace Park Governing Committee, Mutraw District KNU, and the Karen Environmental & …Social Action Netowrk (KESAN). The training took place in the Salween Peace Park, Mutraw district, Kawthoolei, South-eastern Burma. This specific group of community rangers were trained to protect wildlife and forest in the newly proposed wildlife sanctuary which located in two districts of Kawthoolei. Please watch the video for more detail.[+] Show More
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The 5th General Assembly of the Salween Peace Park, Mutraw District, Kawthoolei
From December 18th to 21st, 2023, the 5th session of the General Assembly and the 2nd elections for the Governing Committee were convened from December in Mutraw District/Salween Peace Park, …Kawthoolei. The four days long general assembly included election for the second term of SPP Governing Committee, reporting of the progress of previously planned works, learning from each other, sharing of traditional knowledge including traditional ways of coping with natural disaster, recital of traditional poems, singing, learning section, and planning for future activities. Please watch the video for detail.[+] Show More
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Protecting our Ancestral Lands and Rich Biodiversity (English and Burmese Subtitle)
For the Indigenous Karen people, land is not only for agriculture. Land is also not merely a commodity for sale. It is their home and community where they collectively maintain …and manage their community forests, protect wildlife, conserve watershed areas and many others. The land governance system of the Karen people incorporates traditional practices of forest, water, and biodiversity governance. Unfortunately, all the previous Burma government and the current dictator military neither respect nor recognize the indigenous land rights of the Karen people to manage their ancestral territories which hold large area for forests, a crucial resource in combating climate change.
This video presents the effort of the Karen National Union (KNU), in collaboration with the communities and Karen community-based organizations to secure the land rights of the Indigenous Karen people and other long-standing communities in the seven districts under its administration known as Kawthoolei territory. Please see the video for details.[+] Show More
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The Unique Cultural Heritage:
Celebration of Indigenous Karen People’s Traditional Wrist-Tying Ceremony in the Salween Peace Park
‘Lar Ku Ki Sue’, also known as Tar Yu Wee Kwei K’Lar by Indigenous Karen communities is a …unique traditional wrist-tying ritual ceremony which symbolizes Karen’s cultural identity, history, traditions, and cultural values of love, unity, and solidarity. This spiritual tradition is annually performed to protect the people from nature disasters and dangers.
On August 18, 2023, for the first time, the community cultural event of this traditional wrist-tying ceremony was co-organized by the Salween Peace Park’s Governing Committee, Mutraw Junior College and Karen Environmental and Social Network (KESAN). Though wrist-tying cultural ceremony was annually held by local indigenous communities separately as integral part of their spiritual tradition, this community cultural event was the first of its kind to be arranged and organized through collaborative and coordinated efforts. The goal of having this community cultural event was to achieve one of the three goal of the Salween Peace Park, cultural revitalization and survival.
Please watch the video for more detail.[+] Show More
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Thawthi Taw-Oo Indigenous Park: An Indigenous Conserved Territory for People and Nature
A full documentary that presents the efforts of Taw-Oo District KNU and the people to establish a territory where the Indigenous Karen people can maintain their culture and their traditional …practices, and to govern their land, environment, and biodiversity in a sustainable way.
This includes the effort to revitalize their ancestors’ land governance system that incorporates customary practices, the formation of wildlife ranger group to protect wildlife and forest, empowerment of the community in forest governance, and the development of Thawthi Taw-Oo Indigenous Park Charter through bottom-up approach and community participation.
This park is a model of good governance; that recognizes indigenous people’s governance system which promotes peace and power sharing.
Please watch the video for more detail.[+] Show More
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Sealed in Our Hearts : Gibbon Story
The documentation tells the story of the Gibbon as a Biocultural species to the Karen People. The Species Called “ther yu pwa” by the Karen, the gibbon has a special …and meaningful place in the forest. The gibbon’s presence in the forest brings not only physical and aesthetic beauty of diversity, but also spirituality to the people whose life are closely intertwined with the forest and natural resources. It does not forage on the villagers’ crops or steal food from the community. Aside from its agility and antics, the gibbon would sometimes play with people thus endearing them more to the villagers. Its death brings anguish to the whole place and the seven ridges and seven valleys in the local area reverberate in mourning for the great loss. This gentle mammal is protected by the Karen people since time immemorial. For details, please watch the video.[+] Show More
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Commemorating International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples in the Salween Peace Park
In solidarity with Indigenous Peoples around the world, over 900 hundred Indigenous Karen people in the Salween Peace Park, Kawthoolei, came together to commemorate the International Day of the World’s …Indigenous Peoples (IDWIP) on August 9th 2023, despite the illegal State Administration Council (SAC) regime’s use of terror and coercion. . For these communities, this isn’t merely an annual event recognized by the United Nations; it’s a crucial component of a broader socio-political movement aimed at achieving their self-determination rights and reclaiming their ancestral territorial rights, all in the face of the oppressive military regime in Burma.
During the event, a range of activities took place, including traditional religious rituals and prayers, captivating traditional musical performances, cultural dramatizations, inter-generational dialogues fostering knowledge transfer between indigenous youth and elders, as well as public consultations and awareness campaigns addressing critical subjects.[+] Show More
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The Establishment of Htee Thoe Kee Wildlife Sanctuary in Doo Tha Htoo District
In 2015, when he was serving as Kyaikto Township leader Padoh Saw Soe Myint who is now the chairperson of Doo Tha Htoo District, pointed out during a district KNU …Executive Committee meeting that the Htee Thoe Kee forest is still healthy and is home to several vulnerable wildlife species and that it should be designated as a wildlife sanctuary. After almost 8 years of his persistent effort and the wildlife research and demarcation carried out by the district Kawthoolei Forestry Department in collaboration with KESAN, local environmental groups, and the communities, the wildlife sanctuary was finally declared by the district Kawthoolei Forestry Department at the district level. Please watch the video for more.[+] Show More