IMNA – The Mon party that won in the 1990 elections, the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), reinforced the 1990 election results by replacing its leader in the Committee for Convening the People’s Parliament (CRPP) opposition body, 94-year-old Nai Tun Thein, with its Vice-Chairman, 87-year-old Nai Ngwe Thein.
After the 1990 elections, which were won in a landslide by the National League for Democracy (NLD), the former military regime refused to honor the results. The CRPP was then formed with leaders of the NLD and various ethnic groups.
Dr. Min Kyi Win, MNDF Joint-Secretary, said, “Our chairperson is getting old, and he has problems implementing political activities. Therefore, our party held a meeting on 29 July and elected Nai Ngwe Thein as his replacement”.
He also added that the MNDF will provide a ‘personal assistant’ to Nai Ngwe Thein to coordinate with other alliances effectively.
Since the 2010 elections there has been the formation of a new government and the convening of a new parliament dominated by the military’s proxy party, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), but the NLD and ethnic political parties that won in the 1990 elections do not recognize the elections because they say they were based on the 2008 Constitution, which provides extreme power to the military.
The MNDF retains many active leaders, including those who did not agree to form another political party prior to the 2010 elections and contest in Mon areas. General Secretary Dr. Min Soe Lin and Joint General Secretary Dr. Min Kyi Win are both middle-aged active leaders in the party.
A Mon youth who lives in Mon State and is active with the MNDF said, “I think Dr. Min Soe Lin or Dr. Min Kyi Win must get involved in the replacement of top MNDF leadership. Vice-Chair Nai Ngwe Thein is also old. If a young party leader were to be in his position, it would better energize the CRPP”.
MNDF leaders hope for the legalization of the NLD by the government because they expect if the NLD is active in political field again, their party will be also active again.
They are optimistic about the recent dialogue between NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and U Aung Kyi, Labour Minister of the new government.
