On Thursday, The Nippon Foundation supplied the Mon ethnic armed group, the New Mon State Party (NMSP), with machinery for development projects in Popawaddy Village, Ye Township, Mon State, Myanmar.
A “ceremony of machinery handover from the Nippon Foundation, Japan to New Mon State Party” was held on Thursday morning at the Kyaik Dethamowprad Pagoda compound in Popawaddy Village, near Mon State’s Ye Town. The machinery provided to the NMSP included a bulldozer, an excavator and two dump trucks.
“We can use this machinery for the benefit of local businesses and community development in the region, from which, we can have the flower buds and fruits of the peace,” said Nai Htaw Mon, the chair of NMSP.
Many high-ranking Myanmar officials attended the ceremony, including the chair, vice-chair, and other NMSP officials, Mon State Chief Minister Dr.Aye Zan and members of the State parliament and state government, and the Peace Commission’s 2nd Chair U Thein Zaw. The Japanese Ambassador to Myanmar Mr. Ichiro Maruyama and Executive Director of the Nippon Foundation Mr. Yuji Mori were also in attendance.
With the cooperation of the Union Peace Commission and Mon State Government, the Nippon Foundation will fund five projects in total.According to NMSP Chair Nai Htaw Mon’s speech, providing machinery to NMSP is just the first project. The other projects include building new health centers and Mon national schools, improving houses, and establishing solar-powered electricity for seven villages.
On February 25, 2012, the NMSP signed bilateral agreements at both state level and union levels for ceasefire. Following that, the Nippon Foundation provided tons of rice and other supports to NMSP families and internally displaced persons for 3 years.
The NMSP signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) on February 13, 2018.
Translated by Jaeneh Aong and edited by Jordan Lee
