The Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO) has expelled Colonel Khun Okkar, the organization’s patron, along with Joint General Secretary-1 Major Khun Min Thein and Joint General Secretary-2 Nan Yin Yin Soe from the organization.
According to PNLO, Colonel Khun Okkar, Major Khun Min Thein, and Nan Yin Yin Soe had submitted their resignations in September.
A PNLO statement dated 12 October explained that their expulsion was due to their violation of PNLO’s fundamental principles and constitution by forming a faction called PNLO (NCA-S) before their resignations were approved by the Central Committee meeting.
PNLO spokesperson Colonel Khun Aung Man said: “They announced the formation of a group called PNLO (NCA-S) on 9 October, using our organization’s name inappropriately. As this amounts to splitting the organization, the Central Committee and commanders’ emergency meeting decided to expel them.”
Colonel Khun Aung Man added that while the three expelled members have been stripped of their positions and responsibilities for violating the basic principles and constitution, they retain the right to appeal at PNLO’s upcoming fourth congress.
“The right to appeal at the congress follows our organizational procedures. Two of the expelled leaders were elected by the congress. While the Central Committee holds supreme authority between congresses, decisions made by the Central Committee need ratification at our organization’s highest authority, the congress. This means they have the right to attend the congress and appeal if they wish,” he explained.
In response, Colonel Khun Okkar of PNLO (NCA-S), who plans to talk with the military council, said: “We have nothing to do with the group that has abandoned the NCA path. We don’t recognize whatever they announce. We will continue to serve the people through the NCA path.”
Colonel Khun Okkar added that despite nine months of negotiations among members regarding continuing with the NCA path, policy disagreements led to the current situation.
The PNLO (NCA-S) faction led by Colonel Khun Okkar plans to attend political dialogue organized by the military junta following the NCA framework, aiming to reduce military conflict and expand political space.
Colonel Khun Okkar of PNLO (NCA-S) explained: “The NCA is about resolving political problems through political means. When our leaders decided to fight back with weapons, that already deviated from the path. The people don’t support this. Armed fighting isn’t part of the NCA – it only includes maintaining the ceasefire. We continue to maintain that.”
Meanwhile, the group led by Colonel Khun Thurein has suspended dialogue and joined other armed resistance groups in fighting against the military council, citing the impossibility of implementing the NCA and resolving political issues through political means after the military coup.
The PNLO/PNLA signed state-level ceasefire agreements on 25 August 2012, union-level agreements on 23 March 2013, and became a signatory to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on 15 March 2015.
Sent by NMG.
