Kawthoolei Armed Forces
| Kawthoolei Armed Forces | |
|---|---|
| ကော်သူးလေတပ်မတော် | |
| Dates of operation | 1949-1952 October 2014 – present |
| Ideology | Karen nationalism Separatism |
| Allies | National Unity Government of Myanmar |
| Opponents |
|
| Battles and wars | Myanmar civil war (2021–present) |
The Kawthoolei Armed Forces (Burmese: ကော့သူးလေတပ်မတော်; abbr. KAF) was the name of the armed forces of the self-declared Kawthoolei state in late 1940s during the Burmese civil war. It was recreated in the 2010s as an ethnic Karen rebel alliance.[2]
Origins and De Facto Disappearance
During the leadup to Burma's independence from Britain, Karen groups were unwillingly to be in a Bamar-dominated country In October 1947, the dominant political party of Burma asked the KNU to create a Karen state called Kawthoolei within Burma, but the KNU refused, demanding more territory. After outbreak of violence, the KNU would eventually declare war on 31 January 1949. A Karen state was declared in May of that year and a month later in June, Karen leaders met in Taungoo to form the government of Kawthoolei.[3]
Accordingly on 15 June 1949, the armed forces of the Karen groups where renamed as the Kawthoolei Armed Forces (KAF). The KAF was restructured into two divisions based on pre-existing Karen National Defence Organisation lines- the Eastern Command and the Delta Command. General Min Maung became the KAF's first commander as Kawthoolei's defence minister, heading the Eastern Command with five brigades while General Sein Hmone commanded the Delta Command with four brigades. Later, a fifth Delta Brigade would be formed. The KAF operated primarily through radio communication across the spread out territory as the civil war continued.[4]
In 1952, the central government's military launched a major military operation against the Delta Command of the KAF, burning Karen villages and fields as part of scorched earth tactics. After suffering significant territorial losses and remaining Karen fighters fleeing into the jungle of the Bago Yoma mountains, the KAF further lost significant support from Karen people in the delta. After a string of defections and more territorial defeat, remaining Karen leaders sought a different path and restructuring away from the KAF badge, which had become associated with warlordism and ineffectiveness.[4]
Proposed Revival and Merger
In October 2014, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, the KNU/KNLA Peace Council, the Karen National Defence Organisation, and the Karen National Union allegedly decided to unite into the KAF. However, many within the KNU and KNDO leadership swiftly denied that it agreed, claiming that those who joined the KAF made a "personal choice."[5][6][7][8]
Tensions
After DKBA-5, the KNU/KNLA Peace Council, and the KNLA signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement a year later, a statement ostensibly written by the KAF denounced the NCA for solidifying military rule in Myanmar.[9]
2021 coup d'etat
After the 2021 coup, the KNU and DKBA verbally agreed to reunite into the KAF in August 2022 after the latter group's negotiations with the Tatmadaw fell apart.[1]
References
- ^ a b Ethnic Karen leaders come to historic agreement to reunite KNU, DKBA. Myanmar Now. August 30, 2022. Archived December 2, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Smith, Martin (1999-06-01). Burma: Insurgency and the Politics of Ethnicity. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 284–287. ISBN 978-1-85649-660-5.
- ^ Smith, Martin (1999-06-01). Burma: Insurgency and the Politics of Ethnicity. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 85–86, 116–117, 141. ISBN 978-1-85649-660-5.
- ^ a b Naw, Angelene (2023). Cain, Jerry (ed.). The History of the Karen People of Burma. Valley Forge, PA: Judson Press. pp. 244–246, 250–252. ISBN 9780817018382.
- ^ Karen rebels meet to discuss merger proposal. October 21, 2014. Naw Noreen. Democratic Voice of Burma Archived December 4, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Karen Armed Groups to Form United ‘Kawthoolei Armed Forces,’ but Questions Remain. October 16, 2014. Karen News. Archived December 4, 2023, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Karen Community Welcomes Kawthoolei Armed Force despite Controversy. October 22, 2014. Phophtaw. Burma News International. Archived March 10, 2022, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Karen Rebel Groups Plan Military Cooperation. The Irrawaddy. Saw Yan Naing. October 14, 2014. Archived October 14, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Kawthoolei Armed Forces Disagrees about the NCA Signing. Burma Link. October 8, 2015. Archived October 24, 2016, at the Wayback Machine