Mahn Robert Zan

Mahn Ba Zan and KNDO

Since Mahn Ba Zan had taken part in the establishment of the KNDO (Karen National Defense Organization), to preserve the essence of his direct words, the following on how the organization was set up has been transcribed from the tape that he had recorded earlier. (The following came verbatim from the tape.)

As indicated by the Constitution, in the legislative body or parliament comprising a total of 200 representatives, 24 were to be Karens. Some of the rest of the representatives were from the Hill regions and the central Burma areas. Two-thirds of the representatives were the majority Burmans.

Going by the Constitution, the Karen country that we desired would never be attainable. This was because in the legislature, concerning the creation of a Karen State or country, two-thirds of the representatives would have to approve it. Thus there was no way we could get it. The Burmans would adamantly object to it. Since our fellow ethnic nationalities have been organized and influenced by the Burmans, they might or might not vote for us. Therefore, the Karen State/country situation could not be obtained by the parliamentary method. That was when we had to begin and continue the fight. The Constitution was drawn up toward the end of 1947. The British as well as the AFPFL (the Anti-Fascist People’s Freedom League – the Burmese party in power then) subsequently ratified it. After ratification, January 4th, 1948, was designated to be the Independence Day. As soon as the Independence Day was announced, what did the Karens do?; they began to say to themselves that they had become Burmans’ slaves. According to the Constitution, they would come under slavery of the Burmans. So, they were not going to be oppressed. They would fight for their Independence.

The KNU (Karen National Union) began to contemplate on what we would do. This being so, we the Karens were to declare that January 5th, 1948 was the day that they pledged to be a free nation, and would stage demonstrations accordingly. On that day, the entire Karen nationals demonstrated.

The agitation had become quite widespread. With the increase of movements for Karen cause, the AFPFL appointed Sir Ba U to head a committee known as the Statehood Inquiry Commission. With the commission in place, the KNU organized the entire Karen people, and countrywide Karen mass demonstrations were held on February 11th. The slogans in the demonstrations were:

1. Grant a Karen State immediately.
2. (Show us right now ‘equality’ of ) Karen one-kyat and Burman one-kyat.
3. Nationality conflict is Undesirable.
4. Civil War is Undesirable.



Freedom for our nationality;
Democracy;
Charity and Consolidation among all ethnic nationalities; and
Peace – were meaningful aspirations, using nonviolence method by these systematic, and largely silent, demonstrations.

Since the demonstrations were of enormous magnitude and widespread, the AFPFL government began to reciprocate with its own movements and schemes. According to the Constitution, there had to be a Karen Affairs Department. San Po Thin was appointed as Minister of Karen Affairs. In the districts and townships, Karens Affairs Officers were appointed.

The AFPFL then ordered all the Karen Affairs Officers for a meeting on March 3, 1948, to oppose the Karen mass demonstrations. The KNU got wind of this beforehand and also held a conference on the same day of March 3rd. With these two conferences held simultaneously, the AFPFL arranged a conference with the KNU leaders.

On the side of the AFPFL, U Nu was the leader, members were:
Bo Let Ya
Bo Po Khun, and
U Kyaw Nyein.

The KNU representatives were:
Saw Ba U Gyi
Saw Tha Din
Saw Belley
Thra Tha Htoh, and
Mahn James Tun Aung.

At that meeting U Nu said,

“Should conflicts arise between Karens and Burmans, it will be similar to striking two bael fruits (Ok-Shi-Thi in Burmese – a tropical Indian name for Bengal quince, bearing edible fruits with a hard shell). The striking fruit will break, and so will the stricken fruit. These should not happen. If you want a Karen State, you should come within the legal fold. You must ask for it within the law.” That was how he put in.

There was no way of asking for a Karen State within the law in the parliament. The reason being that the law as drawn up by the constitution favors the majority Burman population. The time was when the Burman representatives did not have the spirit of love and consolidation among the ethnic nationalities, lacking the desire for the Union of States.
President Saw Ba U Gyi then replied,

“We cannot get the Karen State the way parliament operates under the Constitution. That’s why the conflicts have resulted as we were trying to request for special and exclusive consideration and action.

With that U Nu said,

“If you people want a Karen country, fight for it then. That’s all we can do’

And with that, the meeting terminated.

From the words that U Nu expressed about having to fight for the Karen country if so desired, the Burmans would not grant a Karen country. It was a dare of ‘fight if you must’. Consequently, the KNU leaders convened a meeting, and representatives to that conference said they would fight for the Karen country, and firmly decided to do so.

According to the Constitution, there is no way to achieve a Karen country. The CPB (Communist Party of Burma), Socialists and PVO (People’s Volunteer Organization) had their pocket armies. It was foreseeable that extreme conflicts could arise any day.

For protecting the freedom of the Karen people, the durability of their nationality, and their life, well being and properties, it was decided and confirmed at the KNU-led conference held in 1947 to have in place an armed contingent.

Therefore, the K.N.D.O. (Karen National Defense Organization) was established on July 16, 1947.

This armed force was equipped for emergency purposes with hidden weapons of World War II materiel. The armed organization was set up in accordance with Headquarters and Districts.

At the Headquarters were:
1. Mahn Ba Zan, Major General, Commander in Chief
2. Saw Hunter Tha Hmway - Operations Commander
3. Saw Sankey - Operations Commander
4. S’Gaw Maw Lay - Training Commander.

The formation of this KNDO Force was based on village tracts. Following that, responsible district commanders were selected. The district commanders were:

1. Saya San Tun - Bassein 2. Bo Hsawk - Henzada
3. Saw Ba Kyaw - Myaungmya 4. TeeK’Sah(Tun Hla Aung) - MaUBin
5. Saya Aye Maung - Pyapon 6. Bo Aung Min - Hanthawaddy
7. Bo Shwe Bya - Tharrawaddy 8. S’Gaw MawLay - Insein
9. Saw Win Maung - Rangoon 10. Saw Aung Sein - NyaungLayBin
11. Saw MeeDya - Toungoo 12. Bo Maung Nyunt - Thaton
13. Bo San Maung - Pa’an 14. Saw T’Keh - Moulmein
15. Nelson Keh - Mergui-Tavoy 16. Bo Sein Win - Maymyo
17. Saw WeeDah - Taunggyi 18. Saw Wilky - Papun
18. Bo Pan Gaing - Prome 20. TawBlo - Karenni State

At the time the above commanders were organized, there were more than ten thousand armed soldiers. There was organizational contact with the Karen battalions in the Army, the artillery and communication units, and other army branches. The Navy and Air Force units were not included yet.

Since U Nu said that if we wanted a Karen country, we would have to fight for it, there was no other way to follow. On our side,

1. to obtain a Karen country/state;
2. to protect the well being and benefits of the Karen Nationals;
3. and the enduring stability of the Karen Nationality, the KNU-led KNDO troops

were ready to engage in battle. The Karen mass was also highly inspired and motivated.
And as the KNDO concerted activities were at their peak by February 11, 1948, and there was no other way to choose –
-on January 31st, 1949, a very noble and justifiable armed struggle was begun.

If only the problem that had risen between the Union brothers, peaceful solutions were sought, negotiations with patience were carried out with the spirit of the Union, and there was a sincere intent of respecting the rights of the people, neither the striking bael
(Ok-Shi-Thi) fruit nor the stricken bael fruit would have broken. There might not have been death and destruction by fire. The country might not have suffered the ‘least developed’ status. There would not be mountains of bones, lakes of tears, and seas of blood. Had the problems been patiently solved with genuine sincerity, there would not have been more than 40 years of civil war.

As long as people behave as blood suckers with one another and there is fostering slavery among nationalities, the armed conflict will prevail. And people will die. Therefore, in order that the Union of States will perpetuate and be durable, there would be affection and consolidation of all nationalities, and also peace and prosperity of the country, I sincerely urge all to endeavor in extinguishing the conflagration begun at Insein that has become this civil war.