CNI News

6 February 2024

There were secessions from the Karen National Union (KNU) during the revolution and it caused a big challenge for the KNU, said Pado Saw Hla Tun, secretary-2 of the KNU. 

He said that there were secessions from the KNU, being different from other revolutionary groups while he was talking about the experience of going through the revolution on 75th Anniversary Celebration of Karen Revolutionary Day.

" During the past 75 years of our revolution, Karen nationals always took part in the revolution vigorously for the liberation of Karen people, for the liberation of other ethnic people and for the establishment of democracy in Myanmar. During our participation in the revolution like this, there were many challenges. So many of our Karen people had to sacrifice their lives. There were several secessions within the KNU. We had a great challenge. The KNU was different from other revolutionary groups and the KNU experienced most secessions. The KNU had to overcome such challenges with an attitude of a mother." said Pado Saw Hla Tun.  

While seeing Pado Saw Hla Tun, secretary-2 of the KNU

Saw Nerdah Mya, former Commander in Chief of the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO), announced that he had built the Kawthoolei Army on 16th July 2022 after being suspended from the KNU duties.

After that, battles broke out between the Kawthoolei Army and the Brigade-4 of the KNU after which the International Karen Organization (IKO) had to demand to stop fighting between the two sides as soon as possible.

The Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) seceded from the KNU in January 1994 and made peace with the Tatmadaw. In the same way, the forces from the Brigade-7 of the KNU signed the peace agreement with the government in 2007 and formed the KNU/KNLA Peace Council.

While seeing the leaders of the DKBA

Efforts were being made to re-unite the different Karen armed organizations, Mahn Pyi Aung Soe, chairman of the Karen National Democratic Party, told CNI News.

" Their attitudes are different from one another. Saw Nerdah Mya seceded from the KNU. Among the remaining 7 districts, 6th District is different from others and so is 1st District. The KNU/KNLA Peace Council, the DKBA and the Border Guard Force had tried to re-unite. Now they are still trying. But the result hasn't come out as yet." he said.

At present, there are many Karen EAOs and they are the KNU, the DKBA, the KNU/KNLA Peace Council, the Kawthoolei Army and the Karen State BGF led by Colonel Saw Chit Thu.