According to Saw Mo Shae, brigadier general of Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, (DKBA), the chief of staff Major General Saw Lar Bwe of Kalohtoobaw Karen Organization (KKO) has temporarily suspended their Chairman and General Secretary. “We have plans to register KKO as an official political party. The Chairman and Secretary do not have citizenship and they also attended the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) in Chiang Mai. This goes against the KKO policy,” said Saw Mo Shae.
The announcement of suspension for Mahn Robert Bazan, Chairman of KKO, and U Thomas (U Gon Aung), General Secretary, came on September 11th for attending the UNFC meeting this week in Chaing Mai, which is an illegal ethnic army group opposing the current government. The Major General of KKO claims that the temporary suspension cannot come into effect until their next meeting, where all members, including Mahn Robert Bazan and U Thomas, will choose a new Chairman and General Secretary. Saw Mo Shae said that their duties are only suspended temporarily because they went against the policies of the KKO but they can be elected back into their positions in the future.
KKO was formed out of DKBA’s commanding officers meeting on April 4th of this year in Kawthumawekhee Camp in Sone See Myaing Village, Myawaddy Township in Karen State. Back in November 2010, KKO’s Major General Saw Lar Bwe defected from DKBA after ceasefire stipulations that a border guard force will be put in place. DKBA has already had three discussions with the government in 2012.
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