The leadership of the Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) has expressed shock over the death of their vice-chairman, Sai Saw Aung, who was aged 69.

SNLD spokesperson Sai Lek confirmed that Sai Saw Aung had passed away on the evening of July 16 due to a respiratory tract disease.

“Sai Saw Aung used to suffer from respiratory problems,” he lamented. “At about 6:30 p.m. on that day [Saturday] he was having breathing difficulties, but we thought that was just normal for him because he had been working the day before.”

Sai Saw Aung was born in Mongyang Township in Kachin State. He joined the SNLD, commonly referred to as the Tiger Head Party, soon after its founding in 1990. The party was one of the major winners in the parliamentary elections that year, the results of which were rejected by the then military government.

Sai Saw Aung took over responsibility of the party for a period during 2005 while SNLD Chairman Khun Tun Oo and other leaders were imprisoned.

As a firm ally and member of the United Nationalities Alliance, an umbrella group comprising 12 ethnic political parties, he played a key role and was renowned for working tirelessly for the group.

SNLD General-secretary Sai Nyunt Lwin lamented the loss, and said that Sai Saw Aung had been an important person in the party.

“He worked in an important position for our party,” said Sai Nyunt Lwin. “Even though he was not imprisoned like some of us, while we were put in jail he worked hard for the party.”

Sai Saw Aung was among five SNLD leaders who did not run for a seat during the 2015 election.

By Shan Herald Agency for News (SHAN)