Do the Mon people need a new ethnic political party? Activists in Mon State are trying to gauge potential public support for an alternative political party that could be established by early next year, according to U Aung Naing Oo, a local activist.
“The New Mon State Party resigned from a coordination body [that was trying to merge the two local political parties] so the Mon people have lost their hope for Mon unity. If it continues like this, the future of the Mon [people] won’t improve. So we are urging those who want unity to support a new method and [we are] collecting public opinion,” he said.
Nai Ta Lah Nyi, a former executive committee member of the New Mon State Party, has joined the efforts to assemble a new political force.
“If the two [existing] Mon parties [the Mon National Party and the All Mon Region Democracy Party] unite [while we are campaigning], we will immediately halt our activities and will join the merged party. If they don’t accept us, we won’t join it [but then] we also won’t form a new party. We will be satisfied so long as there is a party that represents the Mon,” he said.
He added that a strong party able to represent the needs of the Mon people must be ready in time for the upcoming 2020 election. Only 4 out of around 90 candidates from Mon parties won seats in the 2015 general election.
The campaigning activists said they have not encountered any opposition on the formation of the new party.
“I fully support the new party since it has promised to withdraw from the activities immediately if the two political parties [AMDP and MNP] merge. I support the establishment of a new party since it is working for the good of the public,” said U Thiha, a Mon State monk.
