Representatives from Mon organizations across the country will hold a preliminary meeting for the 8th Mon National Conference on March 26-27, in Mon State’s capital, Moulmein.
The meeting will take place at Dharthumarla Monastery in Sayjo Ward, Moulmein City. Around 250 envoys from Mon political parties, monk associations, cultural and literature groups as well as civil society organizations have been invited to attend.
The invited representatives are from Mon State, Karen State, Tenasserim, Pegu, Rangoon and Mandalay divisions. The meeting will aid preparations for the main conference, according to the organizing committee of the preliminary meeting.
“At the preliminary meeting, we will discuss the steps needed for the unity of Mon people. We will then select representatives to participate in the 8th Mon National Conference,” said Nai Wona, a head of the accommodation committee for the Mon National Conference preliminary meeting.
Nai Wonna added that the preliminary meeting’s discussion surrounding how to unify Mon nationals will be further developed at the 8th Mon national conference.
The 8th Mon National Conference will be led by the Mon Affair Union (MAU) during the first week of May at Japan Well Village in Three Pagodas Pass Township, Thai-Burma border. Mon representatives from both Burma and abroad will be in attendance at the conference.
“Unity is very important for all Mon people. We have to work hard to achieve such unity. It is not easy. However, we must work towards that,” said Nai Hongsar Bhonkhine, chairman of the organizing committee for the 8th Mon National Conference.
Respective Mon organizations are now preparing to discuss topics concerned with politics, federation, Mon national strategy and unity for all Mon nationals.
The MAU was founded in 2002 with representatives from Burma and abroad. Under the MAU leadership, the Mon National Conference is held every two-years and the previous [7th] conference was held in September of 2014, at the State Hall in Moulmein City.
