Karenni resistance forces urged to unify into ‘United Karenni State Army’

Maui Pho Thaike, the deputy commander-in-chief of the Karenni Nationalities Defence Force (KNDF), said that to defeat the military all resistance groups in Karenni State must form a “United Karenni State Army.”

“If we want to topple the junta in Karenni State, the first thing we need to do is unite. The second is to use our resources strategically. Right now, Karenni State collects around seven billion kyat in taxes every month, and about four billion of that goes to defense. But when we split this money between the KNDF, the Karenni Army, and others, there are inefficiencies. It would be far more effective if we managed it under a single system,” Maui said during a speech at the Karenni Deeku Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand, on Sept. 28..

He added that if resistance groups across Karenni and southern Shan states unite and operate as a single force, resources could be used more efficiently. Maui said that the public should support the unification of all Karenni groups such as the Karenni Army, the Karenni National People’s Liberation Front, the Karenni National Peace and Development Party, and the Karenni National Solidarity Organization.