Representatives of New Mon State Party (NMSP) and Mon Affair Union (MAU) have decided to work towards holding the 8th Mon National Conference (MNC) in May.
On Thursday [April 7], the MAU met at NMSP’s coordinating office in Sangkhlaburi, on the Thai-Burma border, wherein NMSP’s general secretary Nai Aung Min discussed options with the MAU. How civil groups’ will get involved in organizing future unity was also discussed. Regarding this topic, the MAU representatives weren’t certain and said that this issue must be negotiated at the 8th Mon National Conference.
“What they requested is concerned with the political sector, one third of those involved must be civil groups, whether it is leading the Mon nationals and it is unifying Mon nationals. However the MAU, could not decide. This must be decided by everyone’s wishes at the conference. The NMSP will also report this to their central committee. We have agreed to hold the conference in May,” said Nai Banyar Kajate, who chairs the MAU.
The organizing committee for the 8th Mon National Conference decided to hold the conference in the first week of May, in Japan Well Village, on Thai-Burma border. However, Mon political parties have disagreements regarding the event and the organizing committee have put all conference decisions on hold. Due to that, the NMSP met with the MAU to clarify.
“The NMSP have made our decision about the conference. We will clarify for those who are unclear. After, we will continue the work. This is not to dissolve the conference. This conference must be held and we will work towards holding it whether it is in the first week of May, or the second week. The latest time possible is third week of May,” said Nai Hongsar, the vice-chairman of New Mon State Party.
Although the organizing committee of the Mon National Conference is preparing for the conference to set up unity for Mon people, Mon political parties do not agree with the MAU and have announced that the parties’ representatives will not participate in the conference.
“We will meet and discuss with political parties. We already invited them to the pre-meeting. They did not attend. Although they did not come to the pre-meeting, we still held seats for them. We will invite them again but it is their responsibility whether they join or not. We have to hold this Mon National Conference,” said Nai Banyar Kajate, the chairing person.
After the meeting between NMSP and MAU, it was decided the conference will go ahead. Thus, the representatives from the inside (Burma) requested to extend the number of representatives to 50. The representatives at the meeting have accepted the request, according to MAU.
It was reported that a pre-meeting of Mon National Conference was held on March 26 and 27, at Dhatumarlar Monastery, Sayjo Ward, Moulmein the capital of Mon State. However, the members of political parties didn’t show up.
The 7th Mon National Conference was held in 2013, in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State. At that conference, per request of political party representatives and others, it was decided to hold the Mon National Convention next time, instead of the Mon National Conference.
