The New Mon State Party (NMSP) is planning to hold a conference for all Mon nationals with both Mon political parties and Mon civil society organizations represented.
Currently, the government is preparing to hold the 21st Century Panglong Conference. In order to present Mon national issue at the [21 Century Panglong] conference, the NMSP is planning to hold a [separate] conference for all Mon nationals, according to Nai Win Hla, head of NMSP’s Home Affairs.
“In the past, the MAU [Mon Affairs Union] led the conference. Now, the NMSP has taken responsibility for the conference and will lead it this time,” said Nai Win Hla, in an interview with MNA.
In the past, the Mon National Conference was represented by four divisions; the MAU, the NMSP, a body of representatives from within Burma and a Mon group from the Thai-Burma border and abroad. However, this year’s conference will be led by the NMSP, with only three sectors being represented; the NMSP, Mon politicians and the Mon community, according to Nai Win Hla.
On June 6, Nai Zwal Ya, Joint Secretary of the NMSP, led NMSP representatives in a meeting with committee members of the Mon National Party (MNP). They additionally met with the All Mon Regions Democracy Party (AMDP) on June 8. At the meetings, they discussed what to present regarding Mon national issue at the 21 Century Panglong Conference.
“The NMSP has not openly told us yet whether it would lead the conference. We met to discuss how to approach discourse reflecting the entire Mon community and how we can unify in order to be able to hold such a conference,” said Nai Layih Tamarh, MNP’s general secretary.
The MAU planned to hold the Mon National Conference in late May. However, the conference didn’t go ahead because representatives from Mon political parties did not endorse it.
“If the NMSP leads and if the majority participate, this will benefit our people. I welcome this. MAU should also accept this,” said Nai Wonna, Joint Secretary (2) of MAU.
The MAU was founded in 2002 and is comprised of representatives from religious institutions, politics, society, experts, Mon-Thai organizations, organizations on Thai-Burma border, the NMSP and the Overseas Mon Coordinating Committee.
Under the leadership of the MAU and including representatives from across the Mon community, the 7th Mon National Conference was held in September, 2013, at the State Hall, Moulmein, the capital of Mon State
