State Govt officials, song and dance greet opening of KNU’s sixth Liaison Office opening in Thaton area
State government officials from Mon and Karen States attended the opening ceremony for the Karen National Union’s sixth liaison office in Naung Bo village, Thaton Township, Mon State on March 5.
As many as one thousand people attended the liaison office opening ceremony by the Union Minister, U Zayar Aung, the Chief Minister of Mon State, U Ohn Myint, the Karen National Union chairman, General Mutu Say Poe and the Karen National Liberation Army’s 1st Brigade Commander General Saw Kyaw Lin.
The KNU issued a statement marking the opening of its Thaton District Liaison Office that said that the KNU would meet and hold informal talks with government officials.
Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, general secretary of the KNU spoke to Karen News about the talks.
“In today’s meeting, we both explained about the recent armed clashes between the two sides in Karen State. Unfortunately, Minister U Aung Min and U Khin Yi from the Union Peace Making Committee could not attend today’s meeting – we were unable to talk further about process for building a more concrete peace agreement.”
After a ceasefire agreement was signed between the government and the KNU on January 2012, the KNU began opening liaison offices in KyaukKyi, Dawei, Three Pagodas Pass, Myawaddy, and Pa-an – the Thaton Township liaison office is the sixth.
Other government officials attending the ceremony included Union Ministers, officials from Border and Security affair department of Mon and Karen State, Brig-Gen Tin Maung Win from Southwest Military Command, the KNU General Secretary Padoh Saw KweHtoo Win, Joint secretary 1 Padoh Saw Thaw Thi Bwe, the KNLA’s General Office of Command Major General Saw Johnny and some other leaders from KNU Districts and KNLA Brigades.
Local Karen and Pa’O people attended the three-hour ceremony and performed traditional dances.
