NEW YORK (Feb. 6, 2012) — Recent reforms in Myanmar have already had a positive impact, the United Nations expert on the human rights situation in the country said today, but warned that serious challenges remain and must be addressed to strengthen the transition to democracy.

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Marner Saw, left, and Saw Morrison discuss a decade of successes, challenges, and lessons learned from other Southeast Asian communities.

By AKIKO TANAKA
AAP contributing writer

ST. PAUL (Jan. 11, 2011) — It has been more than 10 years since the first Karens from Burma arrived in Minnesota as refugees.

The New Year celebration event for the Karen year 2751, eleventh such event in Saint Paul, was held on Dec. 31st and Jan. 1st at Washington Technology Secondary School.  To celebrate the new year, two leaders from local Karen organizations spoke about how far the Karens have come in their adopted state.

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By SAW YAN NAING

(Jan. 12, 2012) — After more than six decades of uninterrupted armed resistance to Burmese rule, the leaders of the Karen National Union, Burma’s oldest ethnic armed group, have signed a ceasefire agreement with the government.

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U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visits Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at her house in Rangoon, Burma, on December 2, 2011. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

AAP staff report

Rangoon, Burma (Dec. 2, 2011) — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton met one Aung San Suu Kyi at her residence in Rangoon this week. It was the first official meeting with a U.S. government official since her release from house arrest by the military controlled government.

Clinton is the first American Secretary of State to visit Burma in more than 50 years.

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Secretary Clinton Meets With Daw Aung San Suu Kyi U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton visits Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at her house in Rangoon, Burma, on December 2, 2011. [State Department photo/ Public Domain

Rangoon, Burma (Dec. 2, 2011) —Burma’s recently freed democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at her residence in Rangoon this week. She held a press conference with Clinton prior to their private dinner and her remarks were transcribed by the U.S. State Department.

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Bali, Indonesia (Nov. 18, 2011) — The White House Office of the Press Secretary released the speech of President Barack Obama on the topic of Burma, given Friday at the Grand Hyatt in Bali.

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NEW YORK (Nov. 8, 2011) – An independent United Nations human rights expert is voicing concern about the situation of political prisoners on hunger strike in Myanmar, and the health of Buddhist monk U Gambira in need of urgent medical care.

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Healthcare for the Burmese and Karen Communities in Minnesota: A Community Conversation, will be held Sat., Oct. 29, 2011, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Rondo St. Paul Public Library, 461 North Dale St., St. Paul.

Join in on a panel discussion to improve healthcare for newcomers from Burma. Coffee, refreshments, greeting from SiyadAbdullahi, MD, MPH, CEO of The Language Banc Greeting from SiyadAbdullahi, MD, MPH, CEO, The language Banc, and overview of the Karen/Burmese Communities in Minnesota from Myo Nyunt.

The panel discussion be an interactive opportunity for the audience to ask questions of the group about community health needs.

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the charlotte Bobcats of the national Basketball association have promoted rod higgins, left, to President of Basketball operations and hired Burmese immigrant, engineer and attorney rich cho, right, as General Manager. (temm photo)

Charlotte, N.C. (June 14, 2011) – The spotlight on Asian American coaching in the National Basketball Association shifts from Erik Spoelstra – the first Filipino-American to be a head coach an NBA team – to Rich Cho, who was recently hired as General Manager of the Charlotte Bobcats.

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Brussels (May 20, 2011) – The top United Nations envoy for Myanmar has told the Security Council that while the country has taken small steps in the right direction by releasing some political prisoners and reducing the sentences of others, the measures have been short of expectation and insufficient.

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