The central committee meeting of the Karen National Union (KNU) expressed an attitude to continued participation in Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) formed by the (NCA-S EAO), said Phado Saw Tardo Hmu, General Secretary of the KNU.

“Our attitude is to continue participating in the PPST and the desire of most of the EAOs is the same matter. We have a policy on how to participate in the PPST learning the past experiences and that we continue taking part in the PPST,” said Phado Saw Tardo Hmu, General Secretary of the KNU.

The KNU proposed leaving the PPST at the meeting of the PPST in Chiang Mai, Thailand during May and that submitted the plan to change the PPST into the PPCM to the meeting, but it failed to reach the agreement. For that reason the KNU showed attitude to continued participation of the PPST, said Phado Saw Tardo Hmu.

The third KNU’s central committee meeting (first part) came after the 16th Congress and that it was held at the headquarters of the KNU for 19 days. The meeting of the second part is expected to be held in September, during which the meeting minutes will come out, said Phado Saw Tardo Hmu.

We have not told clearly yet as our meeting is not fished. The meeting will have to go ahead, but we have temporarily stopped the meeting as other issues such as flood and people affairs come into view. We will have to follow official peace talks. We have many matters to discuss with the government. We are seeking peace both from official and informal peace meetings and so all are parts of the whole peace process, said Phado Saw Tardo Hmu.

The KNU will negotiate with the government for the emergence of correct and fair peace talks at the second part of the meeting of the KNU’s central committee.   

Translated and Edited by Win Htut