Pa-O Armed Group Splits Over Myanmar Junta Peace Deal

The Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO) has split in two following internal frictions in southern Shan State.

A faction led by PNLO patron Khun Okkar broke away on September 10, saying it adheres to the 2015 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), calling it the PNLO Splinter Group. Another faction led by PNLO chairman Khun Thurein said on September 13 that only five leaders were left in the group.

Khun Okkar said: “They broke away to resume fighting eight years after signing the NCA. We stick to the NCA path. So we broke away. We merged in 2009 and will go our separate ways. We have nothing to do with the anti-regime PNLO.”

A breakaway from the Pa-O National Organization led by Khun Okkar and another from the Shan Nationalities People’s Liberation Organization led by Khun Thurein merged in 2009 in Mae Hong Son in Thailand to form the PNLO.

The aim was to liberate the Pa-O people through armed struggle, build a federal, democratic union and not to become stooges of Myanmar’s military.

The PNLO signed the NCA with Thein Sein’s quasi-civilian government in 2015.

Frictions emerged between Khun Okkar and Khun Thurein after the 2021 coup.

The faction led by Khun Thurein known as the Anti-Dictatorship PNLO will continue to fight the regime. The faction is led by Khun Thurein and four other leaders, including General Secretary Khun Aung Mann. He said: “One principle adopted in 2009 was to fight military dictatorship.”

The Khun Thurein-led camp said the group refused to send a representative to further NCA talks, which were being attended by seven other armed groups.

Khun Aung Mann added: “The NCA can’t be implemented under this regime. We joined the NCA as part of our policy to solve problems through political means.”

Khun Okkar said his camp would continue to stick to the NCA while seeking negotiated solutions, protecting civilians and providing humanitarian assistance.

Khun Okkar said: “Some members have not decided which side to join. We will wait one to two months for them to decide. We will continue to use the name PNLO in certain areas but use a different name to work for the Pa-O people. We will announce the name and our members later.”

Tensions arose between the regime and PNLO in January when its troops briefly controlled Hsihseng town in the Pa-O Self-Administered Zone (SAZ) before the regime retook the town with the help of its allied Pa-O National Organization (PNO) militia.

Civilians were killed by fighting at Hsihseng and occasional confrontations continue.

The PNO, led by Aung Kham Hti, has provided military training to 10,000 militia members in Pinlaung Township, one of the three townships in the SAZ. Observers say the recruits are intended to defend Naypyitaw, which borders Pinlaung.