Nai Suthorn

What They Say On National Convention
Thu 05 Oct 2006, Nai Suthorn, Secretary of Mon Unity League

IMNA; What do you want to tell UN Security Council and international community concerning on NC?

Nai Sunthorn; The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and international communities should request the Burma’s military regime, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to include members of Committee Representing People’s Parliament (CRPP comprised of NLD and UNLD representatives) in the forthcoming National Convention (NC) which will be held on October 9, 2006. This NC should be an initial step to pave the way for national reconciliation, not for drafting state constitution, butĀ  SPDC should as soon as possible create environment for tripartite dialogue in accordance with 1994 UNGA resolution. The stakeholders are (1) leaders of SPDC, (2) leaders of NLD and democratic forces and (3) leaders of ethnic political parties and armed groups.

IMNA; If the government concludes the NC this year, what will benefit for the people?

Nai Sunthorn; If the SPDC’s so called National Convention (NC) and its process of drafting constitution concluded this year, there would be a great danger for the people. The aims of SPCD’s NC is to establish Burma as a military state and the essence of SPDC’s constitution is for legitimation of military rule in Burma, which look like a licence for SPDC to kill the people.


IMNA; How do you think on ethnic cease-fire groupsā€™ decision to attend NC?

Nai Sunthorn; We understand the situation of the ethnic cease-fire groups. SPDC usually invited them as special guests, not as representatives of respective ethnic nationalities. They are not allow to express their own view, but have to read whatever SPDC write for them.

IMNA; How do you think on New Mon State Party on the decision to attend NC as observers?

Nai Sunthorn; NMSP is in the same plight with other ethnic cease-fire groups. On the first session of SPDC’s NC, NMSP attended as formal participant hoping to propose about the basis of federalism, but it was block from the very beginning of the group meeting. NMSP therefore decided to attend in the later sessions as an observer. It indicates that NMSP does not support this NC, but ready to support and fully participate the meaningful one.

IMNA; If the NMSP withdraw from NC what will effect to NC and what will effect to NMSP?

Nai Sunthorn; As NMSP’s attendance to NC is nothing to do, its withdrawal causes no effect to NC, but it does effect the cease-fire relationship between SPDC and NMSP. As far as maintaining the cease-fire agreement, NMSP would not withdraw from SPDC’s NC.

(Nai Sunthorn is General Secretary of Mon Unity League (MUL) which was founded in 1996 with NMSP’s patronage. During the conflict between NMSP and Hongsawatoi Restoration Party (splinter group led by Col. Pan Nyunt) in 2001, MUL acted as a mediator amid firing of the two armed groups.)