NEW MON STATE PARTY HOLDS FIFTH CONFERENCE ( Kao-Wao ) January 20, 2003

NEW MON STATE PARTY HOLDS FIFTH CONFERENCE

(Reported by Gong Ong) - Kao Wao

Ye, January 20, 2003 -- Cadres and delegates of the New Mon State Party gathered at Nyi Sar camp in southern Mon State to review and discuss the political role and to elect new Party leaders.

Selected delegates from both wings of the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA) and Party’s Administrative bodies of Tavoy, Moulmein and Thaton districts gathered at their headquarters for the fifth conference during the cold winter at BeeRee River in the jungle.

The New Mon State Party (NMSP) normally holds the conference every three years to review the preceding 3 years and discuss future working plans in their struggle to regain a democratic Mon State within a Federal Union in Burma. According to the source from the NMSP’s liaison office at the Thai-Burma border, about a hundred delegates attended the fifth conference.

Even though the NMSP seems to be more united and stronger after the split led by Colonel Nai Pan Nyunt last year, the popularity among the Mon public has gradually fallen throughout the 90s, said a retired NMSP leader. NMSP membership has declined since the fall of its strong hold base, Three Pagodas Pass in 1990 and then the cease-fire agreement with the Burmese regime in 1995.

In the New Year, Australia based Mon National Council and Mon migrant workers in Thailand urged the NMSP to reconsider its position on the cease-fire agreement with the regime as a New Year resolution. The two groups asked the NMSP to review cease-fire policy and to fight corruption among the Party leaders, mismanagement and over taxation to the Mon civilians.

Many have frustrated with the cease-fire agreement between the NMSP and the Burmese regime in June 1995 as human rights abuses such as forced labor, rape, torture and extra judicial killing by the State Peace and Development Council regime continue in the Mon areas. Due to dissatisfaction over the cease-fire, many fighters have split from the Party since 1996. The MNLA’s strongest division, the Mergui Battalion from the south, broke away in 1996 and a Central Committee member Colonel Pan Nyunt had split and formed the Hongsawatoi Restoration Party in 2001.

The NMSP was founded by Nai Shew Kyin (a) Nai Ba Lwin in July 1958 when the Mon Peoples Front (MPF) surrendered to the U Nu’s Parliamentary government claiming to the Mon supporters that it was an exchange of arms for democracy. Since it was founded Nai Shwe Kyin (90 years), who now lives in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State, retains the position of President.

The Party split into two factions in 1981 before reuniting in 1987. Some observers had claimed the split was due to international theoretical confrontation between Nai Shwe Kyin’s pro China and Nai Nonla’s anti Communist Party of Burma (CPB) and China, but many agreed that it was based on power struggles and personal conflict between the two factions.

However, the NMSP remains the strongest political armed group for the Mon public and many experienced and intellectual leaders are fighting for the right cause within the Party. On the other hand, many energetic leaders have left the movement and lived in the third countries, Thailand and back home said a former member of the NMSP. “There are some good leaders like, Nai Rotsa, Nai Hongsar and Nai Htow Mon who remain in the jungle, but some senior leaders such as Nai Than Tin, Nai Zar and Nai Tin Aung have also retired after the cease-fire, he added.

According to Irrawaddy, NMSP senior leader Nai Hongsar told the BBC’s Burmese Service that the Fifth Conference would be looking into the expansion of the Burmese army bases in Mon State as well as land confiscation by the Burmese troops.

The NMSP needs more strong leaders to fight corruption and to reform the party in gaining public support. Even though, the present CEC (Central Executive Committee) leaders are sincere in their cause, they are not decisive and strong enough, argued Nai Waeng, a Community leader from Mudon.