The Mon State Federal Council (MSFC) on May 25 stated that the “Coming Together Model,” which prioritizes unity among resistance and regional forces, is the most appropriate approach to establishing a unified Mon Army. This statement followed the recent collaboration between the New Mon State Party—Anti-Dictatorship (NMSP-AD) and the Mon Liberation Army (MLA).
This is consistent with a December 19, 2024 development when four Mon revolutionary groups—MNLA-AD, MSDF, MLA, and MSRF— issued a statement supporting the creation of a unified Mon army.
The recent MSFC statement emphasized that it is actively implementing necessary steps to form a single Mon army alongside the Ramanya Military Front. Given the current fragile political climate, the council argued that instead of a single party leading and making all decisions, a coming-together approach—where all stakeholders participate equally—is essential for checks and balances.
Dr. Thiri Mon Chan, spokesperson for the Ramanya Column, elaborated, “We’ve agreed on the coming-together model since we launched the Ramanya Military Front. It means everyone works together as equals. It’s not about merging into a single group or regiment. If a group joins under another, like under AD’s command, that’s not ‘coming together’—it’s ‘coming under.’ In our current sensitive political situation, if one party leads and mistakes happen in decision-making or negotiations, others won’t even have the space to speak up.”
He further clarified that the current state of the Mon revolutionary forces is not about factional splits but rather differences in how each group is structured and operating.
The statement also noted that the Ramanya Mon Army, newly formed in recent days, would continue inclusive discussions with other armed Mon groups to ensure all are represented.
A Mon political observer expressed confidence that Mon armed groups could carry out collaborative actions aligned with Mon political aspirations: “If all Mon forces can unite and carry out effective military operations, it would benefit political goals. Once the groups can control territory, discussions on political cooperation methods will follow. I believe intergroup collaborations aligned with Mon’s interests are possible. I have no objections to MSFC’s Coming Together model.”
On May 24, it was officially announced that the NMSP (AD) and MLA had jointly formed the Ramanya Mon Army.
The observer added that if all Mon revolutionary groups engage in joint combat operations, they will gain control over territory and public support. This would allow them to establish administrative systems and function as a federal unit.
