Chiangmai — A recent meeting of the top brass of a Karen rebel group culminated with the official appointments of those elected to leadership positions within the movement, including succession to the top-post of Chairman.

The new leaders were announced after the 14th annual conference of the Karen National Union (KNU), which has been fighting for self-determination against successive Burmese governments for some 60 years. The conference was held from October 6-18 in a secret location near the Burma-Thai border.

KNUThe conference elected General Tarmalarbaw as Chairman, Pado David Tharkapaw to the position of Vice-Chairman, Naw Zipporah Sein as General Secretary, Pado Saw Hla Ngwe to the post of Secretary (1) and Saw Dar Lay Hmu as Secretary (2), according to the Karen news website Kwekalu.

The KNU was formed on February 5, 1947. General Tarmalarbaw is the organization's seventh Chairman. The conference was attended by Karen civilian leaders, army personnel and heads of military branches.

Former Chairman Saw Ba Thin Sein passed away on May 22nd of this year. General Tarmalarbaw, former Vice-Chairman under Saw Ba Thin Sein, had been serving in the capacity of temporary Chairman from the time of the death of his predecessor to the convening of the annual meeting.