December 13rd, 2021
Some Karen Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) said they expect the emergence of heads who can lead political allies to make a precise decision about the Karen National Union’s stance on the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), at the 17th KNU congress scheduled for early next year.
Naw Sae Sae, a CEC member of the Karen Women’s Organization (KWO) said: “The current political landscape has reached a stage which goes beyond the NCA. Because the current landscape is heading to the situation for building up a federal union, thanks to the people’s forces and the forces from other sectors. Especially, the military breaches the NCA. It is not suitable for us to continue to hold on to the NCA when the majority of people are opposing the military. The KNU is required to have a thorough discussion on the NCA in the upcoming congress and to make a precise decision.”
Saw Thar Boe, an environmental activist said: “We expect the emergence of good leaders who can help support the current political landscape of Myanmar in the upcoming congress. In my view, we need leaders who can stand by the people straightly and defend the people for the current situations. We need leaders who can take a leading role in the freedom of our Karen ethnics. I would like to call on the public and CSOs to choose the leaders who can create the fate of Karen people.”
“I expect the emergence of leaders who can take a lead politically. In addition to the leadership of these leaders, I expect the leaders can adopt better strategies for ethnics and allies,” Naw Sae Sae added.
The KNU congress is held every four years. But it was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and political crisis.
The 17th KNU Congress will mainly focus on the election of leaders, whether the KNU will continue to stand in accord with the NCA and whether the KNU will cooperate with the organizations which are revolutionizing the military council.
Pado Saw Taw Ni, a CEC member of the KNU and an in-charge of Foreign Relations said: “Whatever decision is made at the central committee, the leaders will be chosen by the people’s representatives, at the congress. That’s why the selection of leaders depends only on the people’s representatives. It depends on the representatives from seven brigades.”
The KNU’s current chair is General Mutu Say Poe and vice-chair, Pado Saw Kwal Htoo Win. They were elected at the 16th Congress of the KNU held in 2017.
The KNU is one of ten Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs) which have signed the NCA.
Sent by the NMG.