Exclusive from Burma: Karenni State’s Uneasy Calm in the World’s Longest War

It will take them a two-day walk to get to the battle. Photo by Antonio Graceffo.

Back in Karenni State, Burma (Myanmar), the situation is eerily calm. While a large-scale battle is underway in neighboring Karen State, where I was a few weeks ago, Karenni has been quiet. Soldiers here believe the lull is the government’s attempt to add legitimacy to their sham elections, which began in December. This is despite the fact that all opposition and pro-democracy parties were barred from participating...