Mon youths rally for Mon political parties’ merger

A group of Mon youths led by the Mon Youth Network staged a rally last Friday urging for the merger of Mon political parties in Ye Township.

Marching on January 27 from Mawkanint Village to Lamaing Town, in Ye Township, southern Mon State, over 300 young Mon people called for the unification of three Mon parties – the Mon National Party (MNP), the All Mon Regions Democracy Party (AMDP) and the Women’s Party (Mon).

“We want Mon political parties to become one. Since there are three separate parties, the Mon public also has separate views. That is why we staged this protest to have the Mon parties become one,” said Min Zabu Rot, leader of the protest group.

Min Zabu Rot also said that in the 2015 Election, even within one family, family members had different views, having their own interests in specific Mon parties, and that it is a good example to take, proofing separation. The parties members should follow what the consulting group has advised in regards to the merger. In cooperation with the Mon public, the Mon youths would work in different ways in order to have the Mon parties unified.

“The party’s senior members are very egotistical. That is why the parties cannot integrate. We want the parties unified as one party,” said Mi MaRaMore, adding that due to having three parties, only a few Mon candidates were elected in the elections.

Marching from Mawkanint to Lamaing, the protesters shouted slogans such as, ”Any party members who do not want unification should take a break and resign. The consulting group must be honest and decisive and should follow the public’s wishes”.

The protesters also called out “If you have sympathy for the [Mon] nationals, you should bravely merge.” “No three separated Mon political parties”.

“We will not just stop after this protest. We will stage protests until the parties merge. The parties members should minimize their ego and work towards the merger for the public,” said Nai Myint Htun, another leading person of the group of protestors.

Led by Mon monks, a consulting group for the parties’ merger had worked for 33 months negotiating with the parties [beginning in 2012], but without success.

Eventually, another consulting group for the parties merger was later founded, including members from the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and Mon civil society organizations, Mon monks, Mon affair activists, and experts. The group is still working towards the unification of the three Mon political parties.