Colonel Khun Okkar, the long-time patron of the Pa-O National Liberation Organisation (PNLO), said he has left the group and will instead work with the pro-junta Pa-O National Organisation (PNO).
The move, announced earlier this month at a meeting of PNLO leaders, comes after the group’s armed wing, the Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLA), resumed fighting Myanmar’s military in January, nearly nine years after signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA).
Speaking to Myanmar Now, he said he made the decision to leave the PNLO to prioritise the development of the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone (SAZ), which consists of three townships—Hopong, Hsihseng, and Pinlaung—in southern Shan State.
“It’s about politics and development. The NCA stipulates that civilians must be protected, so how can we protect the security of our Pa-O people? How will we rebuild what has been destroyed?” he said, explaining why he decided to side with the PNO, which controls the Pa-O SAZ.
“That’s what the collaboration is about. It doesn’t include military matters,” he added.
In the wake of the 2021 coup, the PNLO remained on the sidelines of the growing resistance movement until January 21, when it engaged in clashes with Myanmar’s military for the first time since 2015 over junta efforts to disrupt its arms shipments.
Days later, the group—now aligned with ethnic Karenni resistance forces—captured and briefly held the town of Hsihseng, until it was retaken by junta troops with the help of the PNO’s armed wing, the Pa-O National Army.
Since then, the PNLO has been split between a faction led by Khun Okkar and another headed by its chair, Maj-Gen Khun Thurein, who supports the resumption of fighting with the regime.
At a special meeting of the PNLO’s Central Executive Committee held on September 11, Khun Thurein’s faction announced that the group would henceforth be led by five senior leaders, including Khun Okkar and Khun Thurein.
According to the PNLO’s general secretary, Colonel Khun Aung Man, Khun Okkar’s decision to leave the group may have been related in part to that decision.
“His resignation from the organisation is his own personal decision, so we don’t want to comment on it,” said Khun Aung Man, who belongs to Khun Thurein’s faction and is one of the five members of the newly formed council.
“In any case, I would say that 99 percent of our PNLO/PNLA members and troops are still serving in our organisation,” he added.
Khun Okkar disputed this claim, saying that around 30 percent of the PNLO’s members backed his position. He acknowledged, however, that he was leaving the group without any troops under his command.
“But the breakaway group doesn’t have much strength, either,” he said, referring to Khun Thurein’s faction. “It’s true that they have troops on the ground, but not as many as the neutral group. We are waiting for the [neutral] troops on the ground to safely and honourably transition to our side.”
While he spoke of forming a new group, it appears that Khun Okkar’s political future now depends on the PNO, according to a Pa-O political analyst who spoke to Myanmar Now.
“We can say that he no longer has an organisation, and there’s no question of being able to engage in military action. So what new political platform will he go with? We’ll have to wait and see what kind of welcome he receives from the PNO,” the analyst said.
Currently, the PNO is significantly increasing the number of troops under its command and is acquiring new weapons from the regime, according to observers.
Meanwhile, PNLA troops led by Khun Thurein are said to be operating in coordination with Karenni resistance forces in villages in the southern and eastern parts of Hsihseng Township.
