KNU recommits to fighting dictatorship alongside fellow opponents of military rule

By DMG 04 Sep 2021

DMG Newsroom
4 September 2021, Yangon 

The Karen National Union (KNU) on September 3 reiterated its commitment to fight against military dictatorship together with any organisations that oppose the Tatmadaw coup of February 1. 

In Friday’s announcement, the KNU also said that it would offer up the territory under its control in southeastern Myanmar to anyone seeking refuge from the military regime’s brutalities and political persecution. 

The announcement also said the KNU would find new approaches to address the causes of prolonged civil war and achieve real peace and stability in the country. 

The KNU said it maintains a strong commitment to achieving a federal, democratic system of government for Myanmar. 

The KNU is organised into seven brigades: Brigade (1) Thaton; Brigade (2) Taungoo; Brigade (3) Nyaung Lay Pin; Brigade (4) Dawei; Brigade (5) Phapon; Brigade (6) Du Palaya; and Brigade (7) Hpa-An. 

The KNU is widely considered to be the largest and most established ethnic armed group to have signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) with the quasi-civilian administration of President U Thein Sein in 2015. 

However, fighting between regime forces and the KNU resumed in March, not long after the KNU announced that it did not accept the Tatmadaw coup and would stand with the people in opposing military rule.