The Burma Campaign UK would like to express our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences on the loss of Padoh Saw Ba Thein Sein, Chairman of the Karen National Union (KNU). The death of Padoh Saw Ba Thein Sein is a great loss not only for his family and the Karen people, but also for the whole movement of ethnic nationalities, democracy and all freedom loving people in Burma.
Saw Ba Thin Sein, 82, joined the KNU in 1949, from the very beginning of the Karen resistance movement. He was a member of the KNU Central Committee and was appointed Education Minister in 1963. He became General Secretary in 1984 and was elected as Chairman in 2000 KNU’s congress. He is survived by his wife, three daughters and one son.
We honour Padoh Saw Ba Thein Sein for his strong leadership and his dedication to the struggle for freedom and equality for the Karen and all Burmese people against the repressive military dictatorship. He did not live to see freedom for the Karen but he will be remembered and we are sure that the KNU will carry on his dedicated works until there is political solution in Burma.