KNU Chair: We will build a Kawthoolei Self-administered State
By Network Media Group
Thursday, December 28, 2023
The chair of Karen National Union (KNU), Burma’s oldest ethnic group, proclaimed it will build a ‘Kawthoolei’ self-administered state without any interference from any outside organisation or dictator.
“We have cooperated with other organisations. One issue we were actively pursuing is to establish a Kawthoolei state. We tried to build it in the past through political dialogue. We have to increase our power in our territory and then we’ll accomplish it,” KNU chair Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win said in a recent public speech in the third week of December. He elaborated the Karen people will have complete self-determination under a self-administered system in KNU controlled territory, before working with the other ethnic groups for a federal union for Burma.
“At the same time, we must deliver public services and establish people’s administration within our territory. This involves providing essential services like education, healthcare, and job opportunities for our citizens, ensuring their protection, and more. To achieve these objectives, we require adequate human resources and capacity. Simultaneously, active participation from our people is crucial in various sectors as we undertake these tasks,” Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win emphasized.
The KNU chair expressed his desire for people to rally behind political change, signifying the ongoing revolutionary movement in the country—be it supporting the Karen’s resistance movement, the Bamar movement, or any other relevant cause.
