International Based Groups Denied Vote at KNU 16th Congress Elections – “Congress Election Outcome Critical to How KNU Progresses Its Peace Plans…”
International Based Groups Denied Vote at KNU 16th Congress Elections – “Congress Election Outcome Critical to How KNU Progresses Its Peace Plans…”
Karen News, 01 Jan 2017
URL: http://karennews.org/2017/01/international-based-groups-denied-vote-at-knu-16th-congress-elections-congress-election-outcome-critical-to-how-knu-progr
The Karen National Union 16th Congress vote, scheduled for March 2017, is looking like one of the most critical elections the KNU has held. Observers note that the outcome will decide which KNU faction will lead the organization’s efforts to work on securing peace for the Karen people.
In determining who can vote at the KNU’s 16th Congress, members of the Karen National Union Executive Committee made a decision that only representatives from its administration areas can vote or run for office.
The decision was made at the KNU EC meeting on 22 December 2016, despite a previous KNU EC 2015 agreement to allow Karen overseas groups to have a vote at its Congress elections.
According to sources from KNU, during the 15th Congress held on November 26, 2012, several rounds of discussion were held on allowing the overseas Karen a vote and finally there was agreement to allow them to vote.
Regional observers criticized the last KNU EC decision in downgrading the Karen overseas involvement and said that this had overruled the agreement made at its 15th Congress.
Padoh Saw Thaw Thi Bwe, joint secretary of the KNU who is serving as chairperson for the 16th Congress Organizing Committee Spoke to Karen News about the decision.
“It was decided that way as the representatives of KNU Congress are based on the administrative structure and its controlled areas which are all the way up from villages, village tracts, townships and districts. Only these representatives will be entitled to vote or run for offices.”
The senior KNU source pointed out that as the “international community is funding the conference they need to be concerned, very concerned about how the peace process is conducted.”
The latest KNU EC meeting also discussed the attendance of representatives from Karen political parties and civil society organizations to its 16th Congress. It was agreed that 15 people from Karen political parties and civil society organizations will be allowed to attend as observers and seven out of 15 overseas KNU’s representatives will be allowed to attend as observers.
In determining who can vote at the KNU’s 16th Congress, members of the Karen National Union Executive Committee made a decision that only representatives from its administration areas can vote or run for office.
The decision was made at the KNU EC meeting on 22 December 2016, despite a previous KNU EC 2015 agreement to allow Karen overseas groups to have a vote at its Congress elections.
According to sources from KNU, during the 15th Congress held on November 26, 2012, several rounds of discussion were held on allowing the overseas Karen a vote and finally there was agreement to allow them to vote.
Regional observers criticized the last KNU EC decision in downgrading the Karen overseas involvement and said that this had overruled the agreement made at its 15th Congress.
Padoh Saw Thaw Thi Bwe, joint secretary of the KNU who is serving as chairperson for the 16th Congress Organizing Committee Spoke to Karen News about the decision.
“It was decided that way as the representatives of KNU Congress are based on the administrative structure and its controlled areas which are all the way up from villages, village tracts, townships and districts. Only these representatives will be entitled to vote or run for offices.”
The senior KNU source pointed out that as the “international community is funding the conference they need to be concerned, very concerned about how the peace process is conducted.”
The latest KNU EC meeting also discussed the attendance of representatives from Karen political parties and civil society organizations to its 16th Congress. It was agreed that 15 people from Karen political parties and civil society organizations will be allowed to attend as observers and seven out of 15 overseas KNU’s representatives will be allowed to attend as observers.