KTLA, the Kawthoolei Government Declaration, and Kawthoolei Administration

The formation of the Kawthoolei Government, led as president by Brigadier General Saw Nerdah Bo Mya, who founded the Kawthoolei Army (KTLA) that emerged as a new Karen armed organization during the Spring Revolution, was announced in a statement dated November 13, 2023.

Brigadier General Saw Nerdah Bo Mya is a son of General Saw Bo Mya, a former chair of the Karen National Union (KNU), and a former chief of staff of the Karen National Defence Organization (KNDO), one of the KNU's armed wings. The KNU has two armed wings: the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the Karen National Defence Organization (KNDO).

Formation of the Kawthoolei Army (KTLA)

On July 5, 2021, the KNU temporarily suspended Brigadier General Saw Nerdah Mya from duty pending an investigation into an extrajudicial killing in the Hpalu–Waw Lay area of Dooplaya District. The case concerned the killing of 25 of 47 prisoners captured on May 31, 2021, who were accused of being junta informants. Because he failed to cooperate with the various stages of the independent investigation committee's process, he was fully removed from his duties and position on January 17, 2022. On July 17, 2022, the KNU appointed Colonel Saw Shi Leh to the vacant post of KNDO chief of staff. Two days later, on July 19, 2022, Brigadier General Saw Nerdah Mya signed and issued, as chief of staff, an announcement of the formation of the Kawthoolei Army (KTLA). The KTLA included the Lion Battalion Commando, the White Elephant column and a special battalion that broke away from Brigade 4, as well as some members who split from the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and the Karen National Liberation Army – Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC).

On July 20, 2022, the KNU held an emergency Central Executive Committee meeting and decided to expel Brigadier General Saw Nerdah Mya from the KNU. On the same day, the KNLA and KNDO stated that the formation of the KTLA went against the decision of the commanders' emergency meeting and that they would "never accept or recognize" it.

On July 20, 2022, the Kawthoolei Army announced that it is a force not bound by the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signed by the KNU, and that it would cooperate with Karen revolutionary organizations, People's Defence Forces (PDFs) and other ethnic armed revolutionary organizations fighting the junta.

At a press conference on August 10, 2023, KNU General Secretary Padoh Saw Ta Doh Moo said that because the NCA had in essence collapsed, the KNU no longer has anything to do with the agreement.

KNLA Brigade 4 (Mergui–Tavoy District) and Brigade 7 (Hpa-an District) issued statements telling the KTLA not to operate in their areas and calling on soldiers who had joined the KTLA to return to their original organizations. There were also some clashes between them, with deaths on both sides.

On the ground, the KTLA has been jointly attacking junta forces with other armed revolutionary forces. On November 25, 2023, three allied forces based in Tanintharyi Township, the Kawthoolei Army (KTLA) Htee Sa Meh Ywa Battalion Company 3, the Peacock Messenger special column and the People Liberation Army (PLA), formed the Southern Brothers Army (SBA).

Announcement of the Formation of the Kawthoolei Government

On October 23, 2022, the KTLA issued the Kawthoolei Army's political ideology statement and related background history.

Then, on November 15, 2023, it issued the Formation of the Kawthoolei Government, which adopts "a broader Political Manifesto (PM) setting out the main goals and basic principles" as an interim constitution and lists the structure and officials of the Kawthoolei Government. Saw Nerdah Bo Mya serves as president in the government.

This formation emerged after the KNU said on November 7, 2023, that it would form a Kawthoolei federal unit government. At a press conference on August 10, 2023, the KNU also said that after the military coup is removed, it will establish a Kawthoolei federal unit with self-determination and a democratic system.

On November 21, 2023, KNU spokesperson Padoh Saw Taw Nee said that, at a time when all KNU departments and committees are working hard to make its administration as complete as a government, forming a Kawthoolei government under the same name, as if doing everything the KNU is already doing, creates misperceptions, and he called it a "daydream" that will soon disappear. The KNU has 14 departments, including foreign affairs and defence departments.

This is not the first time Karen groups have split from the KNU. In 1994, General Saw Lah Pwe broke away from the KNU and founded the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA). After being expelled for holding peace talks with the military government without KNU approval, Brigadier General Saw Htein Maung led the formation of the Karen National Liberation Army (Peace Council), KNLA (Peace Council), on February 11, 2007.

The KNU was formed on January 31, 1949, to gain recognition of the Karen State, known as Kawthoolei, and under KNU leadership the Kawthoolei Government has been formed and operating since 1950.

The 17th KNU Congress was held from April 24 to May 4, 2023, and elected the Central Standing Committee and the Central Executive Committee.