The Karen National Union (KNU) announced on March 28 that the eastern part of the Dawna Mountain Range in its Dooplaya District has been designated as Myawaddy (Ramati) Township. Padoh Saw Phataya was appointed as township administration chairman and Lieutenant Colonel Saw Ko Ko (aka Saw Dar Baw) was appointed as vice chairman.
The newly formed KNU’s Myawaddy Township comprises the village tracts of Nupo, Myawaddy Myoma, Hpalu, Thaybawboe, Sonseemyaing, Mawkhee, and Sukali.
The first congress of the KNU’s Myawaddy Township was held from March 23 to 25, during which township executive committee members were elected.
The congress first elected 159 delegates and 31 standing committee members, followed by the selection of the township administration chair, vice chair, secretary, associate secretary, and judge. Padoh Saw He Khu was elected secretary, Padoh Naw Ah Htoo Say was elected associate secretary, and Padoh Saw Ah Kaw Thaw was elected judge.
In addition, eight departments—Health and Relief, Education and Culture, Agriculture, Forestry, Taxation and Finance, Transport and Communications, Livestock and Fisheries, and the Karen National Police Force (KNPF)—were established, and department heads were appointed for each. Furthermore, judicial, political and action group committees were systematically established.
Under the political and action group committee, eight subcommittees—including politics, education, research, archives, and public relations and information—were formed. The chairpersons of the Karen Women’s Organisation (KWO), Karen Youth Organisation (KYO), and the Federation of Trade Unions–Kawthoolei (FTUK) were also assigned responsibilities.
Myawaddy, an area where fighting has been intensifying, was designated as a new township to expand the KNU’s administrative capacity and enable more direct delivery of public services, the group said.
Previously, KNU’s Dooplaya District comprised four townships—Winyay, Notakaw, Kyondoe, and Kawkareik—but with the formation of Myawaddy (Ramati), it now has five.
KNU officials from Dooplaya District also attended the first congress of the KNU’s Myawaddy Township.
