July 25, 2024

Padoh Naw Zipporah Sein, former Vice-Chairperson of the Karen National Union (KNU) and former leader of the Karen Women’s Organization (KWO), passed away at her home on the Thai-Myanmar border on July 24 at 2:22 PM due to cancer. She was 69 years old.

Zipporah Sein was the fourth of eight children of the late KNU Chairman General Saw Bo Mya. She played various roles in the Karen revolutionary movement. In the 14th KNU Congress, she was appointed as the General Secretary and was later elected as Vice-Chairperson during the 15th Congress.

In April 2012, as General Secretary, she led the KNU’s ceasefire negotiation team and secured a Union-level ceasefire agreement. During her tenure as Vice-Chairperson of the KNU, she engaged in peace and federal democracy discussions with prominent figures such as NLD Chairperson Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Shan Nationalities League for Democracy leader Khun Tun Oo, and members of the 88 Generation Students group.

Zipporah Sein also worked as a teacher and was an active advocate for women’s rights.