More than 500 people attended the funeral, including members of the Mon National Party (MNP), Shan national leader U Khun Htun Oo, Arakan national leader U Aye Thar Aung, as well as members of the Mon community coming from areas throughout the country.
“Sayar Gyi Nai Htun Thein was the party’s [MNP] honorary patron. We feel sorrow [that] we’ve lost him; [with his passing] we lost a lot. If he [were] still alive, we [would] take as much of his advice as we could,” said Dr. Min Soe Linn, General Secretary of the MNP.
The United Nationalities Alliance sent messages of their condolences, while National League for Democracy (NLD) Chairwoman Daw Aung San Suu Kyi sent bouquets of flowers and wreaths to the funeral, as did various other ethnic organizations and political parties, Mon people living in exile, and IMNA and the Mon Literature and Culture Association.
In a moment of honor and respect for the late leader, all funeral attendees engaged in a moment of silence for Nai Htun Thein.
“Until his death, Sayar Gyi Nai Htun Thein has struggled for the rights of Mon people, and worked as [a] literary expert and politician for the protection of Mon culture. Losing him is not only a loss for our Mon people, but for the whole country [of Burma], because for our country to have federalism, he – and others – have struggled and sacrificed their lives. Now, the entire public has accepted that [we] must have federalism in Burma. He [Nai Htun Thein], and others, are the ones who have worked so hard to [get the people] to accept that,” said Min Zeya of the 88 Generation Student Group.
Nai Htun Thein became involved in politics and the Mon armed resistance in 1948, and along with other members of the Mon People’s Front, he exchanged arms for peace with the U Nu government.
After U Ne Win took power, Nai Htun Thein was imprisoned for five years at Moulmein Prison. Following his release, Nai Htun Thein served as chairman for the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF) and contested in the 1990 elections, whereupon he was elected Hluttaw representative for constituency No. 2 for Thanbyuzayat Township.
In 1992 Nai Htun Thein was again sent to prison, this time for three years. After his release, he acted as honorary patron for the Mon Democracy Party and then the MNP.
In addition to cooperating with NLD Chairwoman Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and others involved in the political movement, Nai Htun Thein was involved with the Committee of Representative People’s Parliament(CRPP) and the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA).
Nai Htun Thein was not only a politician, but was also known for his teaching of Mon stone scripture and his writing of Mon history and literature, as well as serving as Chairman of the Mon National Day committee and the Mon Halls Protection Committee in Rangoon and Moulmein.
“It is a loss for the entire Mon people because we lost a Mon literary expert, historian, and patriot of the Mon people,” said Nai Soe Kyi, a member of the 68th Mon National Day organization committee.
Sayar Nai Htun Thein wrote several articles about Mon history, in both Mon and Burmese, a Mon-Burmese grammar comparison, as well as various research documents.
Nai Htun Thein passed away on November 7th at his home in Thuwana Town, Rangoon Division. His funeral took place on Sunday, November 9th.
