CNI News
20 July 2022
A statement claiming to have formed the Kaw Thoo Lei Army by Maj-Gen Saw Nerdah Mya, who was dismissed from the post of the chief of staff of the Karen National Defence Organization (KNDO), on 17th July 2022 was circulated on social media.
The statement was also signed by Saw Win Myint, a commander of the Venom Commando column.
The statement said that the KNDO led by current chief of staff Maj-Gen Saw Shee Lei is one of the signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and in a difficult position to lead movements of the entire people.
Therefore, the Kaw Thoo Lei Army was formed under the leadership of Maj-Gen Saw Nerdah Mya on 17th July 2022, the statement said.
The statement added that the Kaw Thoo Lei Army stands as a people's army of Karen ethnic group and will eliminate the State Administration Council until the victory of the revolution has been achieved without following the orders of the organization under the SAC.
Maj-Gen Saw Nerdah Mya and Captain Salone.
In the statement, Venom Commando column announced that it joined the Kaw Thoo Lei Army as of 17th July and requested the public to support the Kaw Thoo Lei Army instead of NCA signatories with the SAC.
Venom Commando commander Saw Win Myint reiterated the pledge to defeat the SAC relentlessly without wasting any cent donated by the people.
The KNDO is the armed wing of the Karen National Union, which signed the NCA on behalf of its armed wings, the KNDO and the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA).
The current chief of staff of the KNDO is Maj-Gen Saw Shee Lei and Maj-Gen Saw Nerdah Mya was dismissed from the post on 8th July for his role in the killing of 25 construction workers on 31 May 2021.
Maj-Gen Saw Nerdah Mya rejected his dismissal.
Maj-Gen Saw Nerdah Mya and Captain Salone.
The CNI tried to reach Maj-Gen Saw Nerdah Mya for comments on the formation of the Kaw Thoo Lei Army but he did not answer the phone.
It was rumoured in the Karen political circle that a new Karen armed organization was likely to be formed and it was said that popularity of the group among the public and on social media was a push for formation of the new group.
As Maj-Gen Saw Nerdah Mya joined the Spring Revolution and launched offensives against the SAC troops, he was popular among the public and on social media.
Currently, there are many Karen armed organizations including the KNU, the DKBA and the KNU/KNLA-PC.
All the groups are factions of the KNU and Col Saw Chit Thu of DKBA also formed another faction callled Border Guard Force and cooperated with the SAC.
In a similar fashion, about 300 members of the DKBA led by Captain Salone defected in May 2022 and joined with the troops of Maj-Gen Saw Nerdah Mya, who was dismissed by the KNU.
