CNI News
15 June 2025
The Karen National Revolutionary Movement was to establish the Karen Country which was the goal and dream of the Karen people, said the KNU Chairman Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win.
He said that in the speech delivered on the 76th anniversary celebration of the Kawthoolei Day which fell on June 14, 2025.
After the Karen revolutionary leaders withdrew from Yangon, some leaders saw urgent needs and called an emergency meeting in Taungoo on June 14, 1949. At that meeting, the situation of the revolution was analyzed, the Kawthoolei government was formed, and administrative arrangements were re-established.
The structure of the Kawthoolei government also existed, and the first meeting of the Kawthoolei government was held in April 1950. June 14, the day the Kawthuley government was formed, was designated as Kawthuley Day, and was celebrated to this day, he said.
" The Karen National Revolutionary Movement is to establish the Kawthoolei country which is the goal and dream of the Karen people. It is not deniable that the Kawthoolei country has firmly existed in the heart of all the Karen people. We have announced the establishment of Kawthoolei country and formation of the Kawthoolei government for 76 years." said the KNU Chairman.
Kawthoolei that has liberty, equal rights and self-administration has not been recognized up to now. There had had experiences that Kawthoolei could not be established by the only desire. It was necessary to have a practical structure that is in line with the evolving political situation and the situation of the people, he said.
“Building a nation, achieving stability, progress and peace depends on good leadership, public administration, meeting public needs, public security, economic and other issues,” he said.
The KNU is a Karen armed group that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on October 15, 2015, along with seven other armed groups.
However, on February 1, 2021, the Myanmar military overthrew the NLD government, claiming that it was attempting to form a government without resolving the 2020 general election voter list dispute, and seized state power.
So, the KNU is currently fighting alongside other armed groups, the National Unity Government (NUG), and the People's Defense Forces (PDF), to overthrow the Myanmar Tatmadaw and the SAC.
The KNU operates with a total of 7 brigades in Kayin State, Mon State, Tanintharyi Region, and Bago Region, and is also operating militarily in Sagaing Region in collaboration with the Local Defense Force (LPDF) and the People's Defense Force (PDF).
