Interview with KNDO Military Chief Colonel Saw Nerdah Mya
8 June 2021
The joint force of Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO) and other armed groups including DKBA Splinter Group has been fighting with the forces of Military Council in Myawaddy township, Kayin State. We caught up with KNDO Military Chief Colonel Saw Nerdah Mya with respect to the fighting.
MPM : Please explain the ground situation of the clashes in Phlu village between military troops and the joint force of DKBA Splinter Group and KNDO.
NDM : We are doing in accordance with the statement issued by the former KNDO Military Chief. That statement indicates to withdraw all military forces deployed in our Karen areas. Now this is the right time for us to drive all enemies away from our land through the collective force of KNDO and General Saw Kyaw Thet’s DKBA Splinter Group therefore we collaborated and launched our operation. General Saw Kyaw Thet has operated in Phlu while we do also in Waw-Lay. We have cleansed police offices and construction vehicles as well. The reason why we removed such kind of vehicles is that the road construction is also aimed to facilitate the enemy’s transportation. Later they counterattacked one of our KNDO bases. Both sides are still fighting. Yesterday they bombarded with 120 mm weapons for 2 to 3 hours however there has not been any casualty from our side.
MPM : Can you tell about the casualties from both sides since after June 1?
NDM : The losses exist on both sides. We don’t have any serious loss. I don’t want to talk about it in detail.
MPM : How do you think the conditions of the battles in the future?
NDM : The battles are heading to a more intensifying situation. This is the time that all Karen armed groups working for nationalism should realize that we all are under the same umbrella of ‘Karen identity’. While doing for our Karen nationalism, we must fight together against military troops deployed in our lands. The public now is also upset with military troops and thus we all should cooperate together and fight boldly against Military Council. The message I would like to give to certain Karen ethnic armed groups is to halt collaboration with Military Council. This is the right time to do for our own freedom and for our own land.
MPM : What kind of support are you providing to the displaced local persons?
NDM : The locals are displacing during the battles since we are targeted attacking Military Council’s forces. People have experienced such kinds of difficulty before, I hope they have prepared something in their own to make safe dislocation. We don’t need to worry a lot for displaced persons. We have not heard yet any serious loss or damage amongst them.
MPM : Let me know about the current situation of the battles.
NDM : After we started shooting in the night of yesterday, they attacked with heavy weapons for 2 to 3 hours. I am not sure if it was because they were sacred or worried. They launched two times. They shot near our station in Ka Nel Lay. There may be 20 or 30 artilleries. We are now ready and waiting since we have heard they are marching. We will have to wait and see if there is any fighting.
MPM : Do you want to add something?
NDM : This is the right time for our Karen people. No need to trust nor listen to Military Council anymore. Stepping forward in accord with NCA is just the waste of time. NCA has been terminated since for a long time. We therefore need to stand firm under the policy guidance of parent organization (KNU) and fight with a strong unity. Our own independence and our own rights are in our own hands.
Sent by
KIC
