The Karen National Union (KNU) has permanently expelled former chairman Saw Mutu Say Poe and former Dooplaya District chairman Saw Shwe Moung for violating organizational policy, according to KNU spokesperson Padoh Saw Taw Nee.
The two former leaders were removed after they attended the military junta’s ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), an event the KNU boycotted.
Padoh Saw Taw Nee said the decision was finalized during the KNU’s 13th Central Standing Committee meeting held in the third week of October.
“Although these two senior leaders were not re-elected to the KNU Congress, they were still members and were expected to follow KNU policies. Since they repeatedly violated those policies, we had no choice but to take action,” he said.
The KNU has sent official letters informing both men that they are no longer part of the organization.
The KNU strongly opposes the military junta and has declared that the NCA became invalid after the 2021 coup. Despite this, the two former leaders attended the junta’s NCA anniversary ceremony and have previously met with junta officials.
