“The outcome of the peace process is just like what every armed group has signed,” insisted the state minister. Other than two armed groups who have not signed and nationwide ceasefire not achieved, ceasefires with the New Mon State Party and Karen National Union have paved the way for this year’s Mon State Day to be carried out “peacefully” for the first time ever.
This year’s main events on Setse beach, in Thanbyuzayat Township, where an estimated 10,000 took part, brought together government parties and politicians together with ethnic parties and armed groups from 10 townships.
Dr. Min New Soe, Mon State Minister of Planning and Economics, also chairman of the organizing committee, said the holiday is held to fostering ethnic unity, literature and culture and regional development.
The “fate” of Mons will be determined by themselves, he told IMNA, urging those to work hard to compete in the flourishing economics sector resulting from the 2008 Constitution.
Present Thein Sein sent a message listing failings in the 1947 Constitution to power-share with ethnic Hluttaw (state-level parliamentarians) representatives or granting their groups autonomy. The 2008 Constitution gives power to Hluttaw representatives in (divisions) and states, he claimed. After the democratic process is completed the country will reach a true union system,Thein Sein said.
Mon and Karen states were part of Tenassarim Division after Burma’s independence from Britain in 1948. It was only on March 19, 1973, upon the request of Mon ethnic and Karen ethnic, the states were officially created by the then ruling Burma Socialist Programme Party.
