Karen rebel leader Bo Mya dies at 79

(24 Dec 2006) SHOTLIST
Karen State - 1980
1. Various File of former military leader of the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA), Bo Mya, inspecting troops
Near Thai-Burma border, 30 January, 1995
2. Various of Bo Mya in prayer with Karen children.
Mae Sot, Thailand - 23 May, 2002
3. Pan of KNU (Karen National Union) leaders meeting
4. Close of Bo Mya
Myanmar, 1 February , 2006
5. Bo Mya seated in wheelchair among generals
6. Bo Mya wipes head with cloth
STORYLINE
A longtime leader of Myanmar's largest guerrilla group died early on Sunday, a spokesman for the Karen National Union said.
Bo Mya, who most recently held the title of defence minister in the rebel group, died after suffering a long illness, according to the group's spokesman David Thaw.
He was 79, Thaw said.
The Karen National Union or KNU has fought for autonomy since Myanmar gained independence from Britain in 1948.
Once in control of large swaths of the Thai-Myanmar border, the KNU has seen their territory shrink to virtually nothing following the capture of their stronghold of Manerplaw in 1995.
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