Five Karen political parties will merge into one to better help establish ethnic states that are based on ethnic equality and self-determination, said U Mann Aung Pyi Soe the Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party’s (PSDP)’s vice-chairman.
A copy of the joint statement released five political parties
He said: “We will unite the divided Karen parties An analysis of why the Karen parties lost in the 2015 Election has shown that the Karen parties were divided so the public had difficulties in choosing which party to vote for. That’s why we have decided to merge five Karen political parties into one.”
He said that a 30-member committee with six representatives from each party will be formed and the new party will work on establishing ethnic states that are based on ethnic equality and self-determination.
U Mann Kyaw Nyein the Karen National Party’s General Secretary said: “The Karen parties are able to merge because everyone has agreed to the principle of establishing ethnic states that are based on ethnic equality and self-determination. We have also agreed to not be under the influence of any [one] party.”
The five Karen political parties that have agreed to the merger are the Kayin State Democracy and Development Party (KSDDP), the Kayin Democratic Party (KDP), the Karen National Party (KNP), the Phalon-Sawaw Democratic Party (PSDP), and the Kayin People's Party (KPP).
Only one State Hluttaw (parliament) MP from the KPP was elected from amongst all of the candidates from Karen political parties who stood in the 2015 election, according to an announcement from the Union Election Commission (UEC).
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark inkey for BNI
