DKBA General Battles Suspected Throat Cancer

General Saw Lah Pwe, head of the Democratic Karen Benovelant Army (DKBA), is recovering from what is thought to be throat cancer in a hospital in Singapore, a DKBA commander confirmed to Karen News.

DKBA Tactical Commander General Saw San Aung said that General Saw Lah Pwe’s condition had improved, but that he needed to go through a further “four rounds” of treatment at Glen Eagle hospital in Singapore.

“According to the doctors he [Saw Lah Pwe] has recovered by as much as 75%. He needs to follow-up with a medical check again in the coming week,” Gen. Saw San Aung said.

Karen News has been led to understand that Gen. Saw Lah Pwe was in Burma on the 1st of February this year for a period of convalescence in Rangoon.

Gen. Lah Pwe had been receiving treatment in Singapore since January.

U Nyo Ohn Myint, from the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), who had seen Gen. Lah Pwe, said that the he had been receiving food and water by pipes in his throat.

“He looks better than before he went to Singapore. He is able to speak now. We talked to him for about half an hour. We can say that his health has improved to the point where we are not so worried anymore.”

The MPC had arranged Gen. Lah Pwe’s ID card, passport and travel documents so he could get medical treatment overseas.

Doctors recommended Gen. Lah Pwe get treatment in Singapore after he had first visited Panlong Hospital in Rangoon on December 23.