Saw Mutu Say Poe is a

Karen Karen may refer to: * Karen (name), a given name and surname * Karen (slang), a term and meme for a demanding white woman displaying certain behaviors People * Karen people, an ethnic group in Myanmar and Thailand * House of Karen, a historic ...

military and political leader. He is the

chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

of the

Karen National Union The Karen National Union (; abbreviated KNU) is a political organisation with an armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), that claims to represent the Karen people of Myanmar. It operates in mountainous eastern Myanmar and has un ...

, first elected at the 15th KNU Congress on 21 December 2012 and reelected for another term on 10 April 2017. As a member of the

Karen National Liberation Army The Karen National Liberation Army (; abbreviated KNLA) is the military branch of the Karen National Union (KNU), which campaigns for the self-determination of the Karen people of Myanmar (formerly Burma). The KNLA has been fighting the Burmes ...

, Poe maintained the rank of

general officer A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

and served as the commander in chief of the group prior to his election as chairman of the Karen National Union. At the Union Peace Conference - 21st Century Panglong, Poe was a notable speaker who made the opening address and urged for more inclusive peace negotiations between the government of

Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...

and armed insurgent groups. Poe has also encouraged leaders of other insurgent groups to sign the

Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement The Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), officially the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement between the Government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar and the Ethnic Armed Organisations (), was a landmark ceasefire agreement between the governmen ...

with the government.

References

Burmese military personnel Burmese rebels Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Date of birth missing (living people) Place of birth missing (living people) Burmese Karen people {{Asia-mil-bio-stub