Guest contributor

Saw Kapi

The Karen National Union (KNU), one of Myanmar’s largest and most influential ethnic resistance organizations, is a vital force in the struggle for autonomy and rights for the Karen people. 

With significant control over the Thailand-Myanmar borderlands, the KNU now faces a critical moment as it explores strategies to enhance border governance and contribute to addressing the region’s complex political, economic, and security challenges. 

Following its 17th Congress in 2023, the KNU adopted a resolution to strengthen its governance capacity at all levels, leading to the establishment of the Governance Capacity Strengthening Committee. 

In 2024, the KNU published its Governance and Public Administration Handbook for the first time, aimed at building the administrative capacity of its staff. Since running capacity-building training for its district-level staff and officers, the KNU is now focusing on improving governance along its border with Thailand.

The strategic importance of the borderlands

The 1,501 mile (2,416 km) long Thailand-Myanmar borderlands hold immense geopolitical as well as socioeconomic significance. These mountainous territories serve as crucial arteries for trade, migration, and humanitarian assistance, while also presenting challenges such as illicit trade, trafficking, and transnational crime. 

Consequently, effective governance in this region is essential not only for the well-being of Karen communities but also for the KNU’s broader political objectives. 

“Our administrative authority and vision for self-determination within a future federal democratic framework depend significantly on strengthening border governance,” said P’doh Saw Tawnee, the KNU spokesperson and head of its Foreign Affairs Department. 

“We want to ensure that we can effectively administer the territories under our control,” he added.

Challenges in border governance

The KNU is acutely aware of the challenges in the border region, which require tailored and proactive solutions. The ongoing conflict with the Burma Army poses a persistent threat, destabilizing border territories and complicating governance efforts. 

Ensuring security in these areas is vital for protecting local populations and maintaining administrative authority. The region also serves as a critical humanitarian corridor. 

Since the Feb. 1, 2021 military coup, tens of thousands of displaced persons have fled cities and towns in Myanmar, many seeking refuge in Thailand by crossing territories controlled by the KNU. 

Simultaneously, the situation for Karen Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugees necessitates urgent improvements in migration policies, legal frameworks, and protections for vulnerable groups. Without these measures, the plight of refugees and IDPs will worsen.

Economically, the borderlands serve as vital hubs for cross-border trade in goods, agricultural produce, and natural resources. However, continuing armed conflict and weak regulatory systems have allowed smuggling and exploitation to proliferate. The KNU has been deprived of valuable revenue streams, which has hindered the region’s economic potential. 

P’doh Kwe Htoo Win, the KNU chairperson, explained during the group’s recent strategic planning meeting that “inadequate healthcare services and limited educational opportunities further compound the hardships faced by our communities and addressing these systemic gaps is essential for promoting equitable development and stability.”

KNU strategic responses

By recognizing and tackling these pressing issues, the KNU is actively pursuing creative solutions to improve governance and possibly unlock the borderlands’ potential. Through its Governance Capacity Strengthening Committee, the KNU has run multiple Cross-Border Governance and Policy Development Workshops designed to produce clear policies to regulate cross-border trade, migration, and taxation. 

This reflects the KNU commitment to develop transparent, effective governance aligned with international standards. To strengthen its objectives, the KNU seeks cooperation from other Karen armed groups such as the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) and KNU/KNLA Peace Council.

Mutual respect and collaboration are central to the KNU strategy. By engaging with international organizations and neighboring Thailand, the KNU has demonstrated a strong desire to align its policies with international standards while building regional partnerships. 

Such collaboration, it hopes, will lead the way for border infrastructure development, better-regulated migration protocols, and coordinated efforts to combat transnational crime. 

To achieve this, the KNU needs to improve the quality of its Karen National Police Force (KNPF), establish immigration and customs units within its structure, and systematically equip them with the necessary skills and aptitude to manage the process.

Security and the right to self-determination for the Karen people remain top priorities for the KNU. Strengthening coordination between the KNU armed wing, the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), and the Royal Thai Army is crucial for maintaining stability and protecting community interests. 

After capturing all the Burma Army outposts along the border—including Thawlehta and Theemoohta in 2021, Maekahta in 2023, Thingannyinaung in 2024, and most recently its former headquarters, Marnerplaw—the KNU recognizes that enhanced dialogue and trust-building measures with Thai authorities and other stakeholders will be crucial for addressing shared concerns and promoting legitimate cross-border cooperation.

The KNU recognizes the importance of addressing the region’s development deficits. Partnering with non-governmental organizations and international actors will improve efforts to deliver essential services, particularly in health, education, and basic infrastructure, ensuring that neglected communities benefit from inclusive development programs. 

Currently, an undisclosed number of international NGOs and semi-governmental institutions are working directly with the KNU on cross-border humanitarian and development projects. Some embassies even support its governance and public administration capacity-strengthening efforts.

Possible paths ahead

The KNU initiatives to better border governance represent both an immediate response to the urgent challenges and the need for a long-term vision for an autonomous Kawthoolei – a Karen homeland. 

Decisions made today to strengthen its overall governance will shape the aspirations of the Karen people for self-determination and their role within a federal democratic Myanmar. 

By prioritizing accountable and innovative governance, the KNU has the opportunity to enhance its leadership and legitimacy, while strengthening its institutions, and contribute to a broader vision of peace and development in the region. 

In doing so, it can transform the borderlands of Kawthoolei and Thailand from a contested space into a stable zone of cooperation, resilience, and shared prosperity.

Saw Kapi is the founding director of the School of Governance and Public Administration (www.sgpa.info), which works closely with KNU on policy development and capacity-building programs.

DVB publishes a diversity of opinions that does not reflect DVB editorial policy. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our stories: [email protected]