Karenni Army

Karenni Army
ကရင်နီ တပ်မတော်
Participant in the Internal conflict in Myanmar

Flag of the KNPP, used by the Karenni Army
Active 1949 (1949)–present
Ideology Karenni nationalism
Groups Karenni National Progressive Party
Headquarters Nya Moe, Kayah State[1]
Area of operations Kayah State
Strength 500[2]–1,500[3]
Opponents

State opponents
Myanmar Government of Myanmar

Union of Myanmar (until 2011)
Socialist Republic of the Union of Burma (until 1988)
Union of Burma (until 1962)
Non-state opponents

Karenni National People's Liberation Front
Battles and wars Internal conflict in Myanmar

The Karenni Army (Burmese: ကရင်နီ တပ်မတော်; abbreviated KA) is the armed wing of the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), and operates in eastern Kayah State (Karenni State), Myanmar (Burma).[4][5]

On 7 March 2012, the government of Myanmar signed a ceasefire agreement with the KNPP, in the presence of international observers from the UN High Commission for Refugees, British Council and the American embassy.[6] A similar ceasefire deal was signed in 1995, but it was dissolved within three months.[6]

History

The British government recognised and guaranteed the independence of the Karenni States in a treaty with the Burmese King Mindon Min in 1875, by which both parties recognised the area as belonging to neither to the Konbaung Dynasty (Kingdom of Burma) nor to the British Empire. Consequently, the Karenni States were never fully incorporated into British Burma. The Karenni States were recognised as tributary to British Burma in 1892, when their rulers agreed to accept a stipend from the British government.[7]

The Constitution of the Union of Burma in 1947 proclaimed that the three Karenni States be united into a single constituent state of the union, called Karenni State. It also gave the possibility of secession from the union after 10 years if the state's leaders were not satisfied with the central government. In August 1948, the Karenni leader U Bee Htu Re was assassinated by a pro-central government militia for his opposition to the inclusion of the Karenni States in the Union of Burma.[7]

Since Myanmar gained independence in 1948, the KA has been fighting government forces in an attempt to create an independent Karenni state, apart from a brief ceasefire in 1995.[5] The KNPP have also fought left-wing groups such as the Kayan New Land Party (KNLP), and the Karenni National People's Liberation Front (KNPLF), both of which are now allied with the Tatmadaw (Myanmar Armed Forces). The group has been accused of using child soldiers, a claim that they have not denied, saying that the children had volunteered willingly, because their parents had been killed during fighting between the KA and government soldiers.[4]

References

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