On the 76th anniversary of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), Deputy Commander-in-Chief Lieutenant General Saw Baw Kyaw Heh made significant remarks about the Karen people’s struggle for freedom. He emphasized that despite repeatedly pursuing peaceful approaches, the Karen people have been forced to resort to armed resistance as the only remaining path to secure their rights. The Deputy Commander explained that the Karen people’s struggle involves sacrificing their lives, blood, and sweat to achieve fundamental rights including freedom, self-determination, state rights, and the ability to live with dignity.
Lieutenant General Saw Baw Kyaw Heh clarified that the Karen people are not engaging in armed conflict by choice, but rather because they have been left with no alternative means to secure their rights and freedoms. He emphasized that the Karen people have attempted peaceful negotiations multiple times throughout history, but these efforts have consistently failed to deliver the fundamental rights and autonomy they seek. The armed resistance, he explained, is a necessary response to protect their people’s interests and secure their future as a nation.
Regarding the future aspirations of the Karen people, the Deputy Commander revealed plans to establish their state under the name Kawthoolei, with their military forces to be known as the Kawthoolei Army. He also highlighted the current cooperation between Karen forces and other ethnic groups, including Bamar and Mon people, in their joint struggle for democracy. He emphasized that these different groups are working together toward their shared goal of achieving genuine freedom and self-determination, demonstrating the unified nature of the resistance against military rule.
