17th KNU Congress postponed again
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NP News - Oct 25
The 17th Congress of the Karen National Union that will elect the next leading roles of the organization has been stood over again, according to a member of the central executive committee.
The 17th Congress was planned to convene on 24th October, 2022 after the previous conference was held in 2017.
According to the KNU’s organizational constitution, the congress has to be held every four years.
“We planned to convene it today with more than 180 congress representatives from brigades, divisions and regiments. The Executive Committee will be elected among those 180 representatives. After then, the next chairman will be elected,” the source told on 24th October, continuing that delay of the congress will be demotivated to the troops. The executive committee meeting has to be re-held in order to schedule to convene the congress.
According to the KNU’s constitution, the conference can postpone under precise and specific conditions. However, its constitution doesn’t allow suspension more than two years.
In fact, the 17th Congress would have been held in 2021. Therefore, it has been more than two years that the congress couldn’t be held.
Thus, General Saw Mutu Say Poe still leads the KNU as the chairman while Padoh Saw Kwal Htoo Win as the vice-chair and Padoh Saw Tar Doh Moo as the general secretary.
At present, armed clashes frequently occur in different territories of Kayin State between Tatmadaw and joint forces of the KNU’s armed wing KNLA and PDF.
Electricity towers and national grids were frequently sabotaged in Kayin State by the KNLA-PDF allied troops.
Again in recent days, the joint forces of the KNLA-PDF opened fire to Kawkareik city and clashes occurred between them and the Myanmar military on Kawkareik city.