A former Karen National Union leader, Mahn Nyein Maung, has generated heated discussion among the local and international Karen community by accepting a key role in the military junta’s newly formed State Administration Council.

Mahn Nyein Maung, resigned from the Karen National Union’s Executive Committee member to run in the 2020 general election as a representative of the Kayin People’s Party was named a member of the ‘State Administration Council’. His attempt to win a parliamentary seat resulted in failure as he failed to win the votes needed in his hometown to the National League for Democracy’s candidate.

Mahn Nyein Maung is known to be a constant harsh critic of the NLD and for his often confusing political positions.

A source from within the KNU leadership (who asked not to be named) told Karen News that the news of Mahn Nyein Maung joining the administration did not come as shock to them.

“We were not surprised to see Mahn Nyein Maung’s name on the list. This may have been planned for sometime – it might not be the last shock.”

Karen communities around the world were shocked to see a Karen leader included in the military junta’s newly formed administration and bitterly denounced Mahn Nyien Maung. A common thread expressed on social media was the calling of Mahn Nyein Maung as traitor to the Karen people and its cause and that he should be ashamed of his actions.

A directive 9/2021 from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Service on February 2, 2021, named 11 members of a ‘State Administration Council’ to be led by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Mahn Nyein Maung was named as a member of the council.

Manh Nyein Maung was contacted to comment about the directive and his naming, but said he didn’t have anything to say about it.

The 11-member ‘State Administration Council’ included eight military officials and three civilian leaders – Senior General Min Aung Hlaing as Chairperson, Vice- Senior General Soe Win as vice chairperson, Lieutenant General Aung Lin Dway as secretary and Lieutenant General Ye Win Oo as joint secretary and the other seven members included General Mya Tun Oo, General Tin Aung San, General Maung Maung Kyaw, Lieutenant General Moe Myint Tun, Mahn Nyein Maung, U Thein Nyunt and U Khin Maung Swe.

Mahn Nyein Muang was a member of the KNU executive committee until recently before he participated in the 2020 general election as a Pyithu Hluttaw (House of Representative) candidate for the Yangon-based Kayin People’s Party in the constituency of his hometown Pantanaw Township in Ayeyawaddy Region.

Karen News is led to understand that officials of the Kayin People’s Party are also unaware of the appointment of Mahn Nyein Maung as a member of the ‘State Administration Council’.