Bo Mya, Saw

Born on the 20th January 1927, in Htee Moo Kee village, Papun District. He started school at the age of 10 in Papun district before having to abandon his studies due the outbreak in Asia of the second world war. He became a policeman and served under the Japanese regime before abandoning the position and joining Force 136. After the war he joined the AFPFL government's Uniion Military Police (UMP).

At the beginning of the Revolution he joined with the rank of corporal before being promoted Sergeant in 1949. By 1956 he had become company commander. By 1963 a rift had occurred between two separate factions of the Karen resistance movement led by Saw Hunter Thamwe and Mahn Ba Zan. He decided to support Mahn Ba Zan and was elected as a KNUP Central Committee member, however unhappy with the political stance the KNUP was taking, he split in 1965 to form the KNLC.

With the need for a united Karen front in 1968 both he and Mahn Ba Zan formed the Karen National United Front (KNUF) with Mahn Ba Zan as Chairman and Saw Bo Mya as Vice-Chairman, this organisation later changed, in 1969, into the Karen National Union.

In 1976, at an emergency meeting in Manerplaw, he was appointed President of the KNU and remained in that position until 2000. He is now vice-president and Supreme Commander of the Karen armed forces.