“The Unity Committee for Karen Armed Groups had been attempting to unite different Karen armed groups and parties for two years, and now they are united,” said Naw Susanna Hla Hla Soe from the Karen Women's Action Group.

The Karen National Union (KNU) the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), the Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and the KNU/KNLA Peace Council (KNU/KNLA - PC) were included in the unification, according to the statement released on 13th October.

The statement was signed by the KNU/KNLA Deputy Chief-of-Staff; the KNDO Chief-of-Staff; the DKBA Chief-of-Staff, General Saw Lah Pwe and the KNU/KNLA-PC Tactical Commander, Colonel Saw Tiger.

Despite rumours that the unification statement was falsely reported, the tactical commander from the DKBA Klohtoobaw Command, Colonel Saw San Aung, confirmed the unification statement was legitimate.

He said: “The signing was real. It was not an imitation or an invention. It was signed because the Karen people demand it. The Karen people want this unification to protect the interests of the Karen people."

Soon after the unification statement, another statement from a KNU/KNLA-PC personnel was released on 14th October which could affect the validity of the KAF statement.

It stated that Colonel Saw Tiger was not representing the KNU/KNLA - PC when he signed the KAF statement because he had already been dismissed from their organisation. This was: for disobeying a military command in contravention of military panel code no. 2; for failing to preserve the party's image in contravention of military act no. 26 and for refusing to obey a command to meet with higher authorities so that they could investigate the allegations against him.

On the same day the KNU’s defense department also published a statement which said the signing of the unification agreement by KNLA Deputy Chief-of-Staff and KNDO Chief-of-Staff were based on their individual perspectives, not on a KNU decision.

Though these two statements have thrown doubts on the validity of the KAF statement the prospect of all the Karen armed forces unifying as the Kawthoolei Armed Force has been widely welcomed by the Karen community and Karen organisations.

Naw Ohn Hla, a Karen female activist said: “I think the cooperation of all Karen armed forces will increase their strengths and capacities, and the government will recognize that. The cooperation of armed ethnic forces will be supportive to the peace process."

Naw Lawra, a Karen woman from a Tovey based environmental organization, said that such a cooperation among Karen forces will lead to more unity among Karen people, but whether their activities are positive or negative will depend on the leadership.

She said: "Karen people do not like being divided. If they are united, they will have a unique answer to any issue rather than different perspectives. So it is better if they cooperate rather than acting separately,”

A resident of Kyonedoe Township in Karen State said that Karen people, including villagers who were suffering due to the armed conflict, would consent to the Karen armed forces unification.

Previously, on 28th May 2013, six Karen armed forces had held a meeting to discuss the setting up of a united Karen armed force. This resulted in the setting up of the Unity Committee for Karen Armed Groups but nothing more came from the meeting and the group held no further meetings.