Personal profiles of Mon Leaders

 

 

1. Nai Tun Thein
Constituency:        Thanbyuzayat 2
Date of Birth:        30 November 1917
Place of Birth:        Kado Village, Moulmein
Parents:                  Nai Aung Doon and Mi Nain Shwe

Nai Tun Thein passed primary school in Kado Village and continued
middle and high school in Moulmein. In 1938, he passed High School

with honor for several subjects, so he won the award of
Collegiate Scholarship for five years. In 1940 he passed the first
year of university examination with honor in chemistry. In the same
year the World War II started and resulted to close the university
until 1944. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1945. He was
elected for scholarship at Chicago University, USA to continue his
study in chemistry, but because of some reasons he could not attend.

From 1947 to 1949, he was the director of Kyeikhame Provision Education
that comprised of eight districts. At the same time he was elected as
Secretary of All Ramanya Mon Association for Kyeikhame province. From
1949 to 1958 he was an Executive Committee Member of Mon National
Defence Organization (MNDO), at the same time served as Mon and Karen
Special Representative for eight years based at Thai Burma border.
After MNDO entered into so called legal fold, changed arms for
democracy in 1958, he continued his political activities under the
constitution until the military coup led by Gen Ne Win in 1962. He was
immediately arrested and put in jail for 6 years.

After he was released from the jail he voluntarly tought for stone
inscription to the monks and university students. In 1985 he was
appointed as the chairperson in the Higher Examination for the Buddhist
monks. He has been extremely trying to preserve Mon culture and
literature throughout his life.

Nai Tun Thein was elected as the Chairman of the Mon National
Democratic Front in 1988 and to run in election in 1990. In 1992, he
was arrested by SLORC and released in 1994 but have to report to the
authorities regularly. Since the mid of 1998, he was detained at the
military guest house for several times. At the moment he is released
from confinement in military guest house for the reason of his health.

(2) Nai Ngwe Thein,

Age 76 years

Affiliation: Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF)

Arrested on 1 September 1998

Sentenced to 14 years of imprisonment under the 1950 Emergency Provision Act and the 1962 Printers and Publishers Registration Act.

Place of Detention: Insein Prison, Yangon

Nai Ngwe Thein is a key person in Mon political revolution as well as
in the affairs of ethnic nationalities. Nai Ngwe Thein, who is now nearly 80
years old, was born in Thong-ein Village in Karen State. While he was
studying in the university the World War II broke out which resulted to
close all schools and universities in Burma. He joined with Burmese
Independence Army (BIA) and used to be personal assistant to General Aung San
(according to the information from Nai Than Tin). But after the
assassination of Gen Aung San in 1947, Nai Ngwe Thein had fully worked
with All Ramanya Mon Association as Mon youth wing which later on
changed into the arms struggle then to MNDO (Mon National Defence
Organization). In 1948 Nai Ngwe Thein, together with his father,
veterinary doctor, and two sisters fled to Myawady, Thai Burma border,
when the Burmese military suppressed the political movement of the Mon
and the Karen. He was the Executive Member of MNDO for 10 years, but in
1958 the U Nu's rhetorical government successfully persuaded the MNDO
to changed its arms with U Nu's parliamentary democracy.

Nai Ngwe was elected for Mon delegation to attended at Taunggyi
Conference in June 1961 as well as Nai Hla Maung, Nai Tun Thein, Nai
Thein Maung, Nai Ba Saw, Nai Aung Chit San, Nai Myat Thardoon, Nai Tin
Pe and Nai Aung Chit. That was the last gathering of ethnic
nationalities of Burma, before Gen Ne Win took over state power on
March 2, 1962 and arrested all the ethnic nationalities' leaders as
well as members of U Nu's government giving federalism as an excuse.
(Nai Ngwe Thein was not arrested at that time, it may be he was not a
cabinet member or Mon MPs or may be his sister, who got married the
high ranking position in the Burmese military at that time, would had
helped for
him).

The name of Nai Ngwe Thein was not disappeared in the Mon community in
the role of culture and literature activist during the New Win's
military rule of 26 years. And then after 1988 his role in politic was obvious especial
before the election in May 1990. He used to be the chairperson in
negotiation between NLD and UNLD, United Nationalities' League for
Democracy . He was one of the architects in forming UNLD and CRPP,
Committee Representing People's Parliament. He was arrested by the SPDC
on September 7, 1998 at his residence, Flat No. 211, Room No. 17, East
Yankin, Yangon for criticizing the NMSP's cease-fire agreement with
SPDC, and also for supportive to CRPP. At the moment Nai Ngwe Thein is
in the Moulmein jail in the same situation as two other Mon MPs Dr. Min
Soe Lin and Dr. Min Kyi Win. Now the only Mon MPs, Apart from NLD's 30 MPs, are
remaining in jail.  All the other ethnic nationalities' MPs were already released.

(3) Dr. Min Soe Lin
Age: 44 years

Profession: a medical doctor

Affiliation: Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF)

Elected Member of Parliament, Ye Township Constituency, Mon State

Arrested on 1 September 1998

Sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment under the 1950 Emergency Provision Act

Place of Detention: Mawlamyaing Prison, Mon State

Constituency:        Ye 1
Date of Birth:        31 August 1957
Place of Birth:       Kawdon, Ye Township
Father:                  Nai Tha Khin

The SLORC arrested Dr. Min Skoe Lin in Mudon, Mon State, on 6 November
1997. He was charged under Article 5 (j) of the 1950 Emergency
Provision Act and was released from detention after a few weeks. The
reason for Dr. Min Soe Lin's arrest was his role in organizing
celebrations for the 50th Non National Day on 23 February 1997. He was
released immediately after negotiation between Nai Shwe Kyin, NMSP
president and SPDC authorities in Mon State.

Dr. Min Soe Lin was the General Secretary of the Mon State Commission
for the Golden Jubilee Celebrations for Mon National Day. In this
role, he repeatedly sought permission to hold the celebrations in
Moulmein, the capital of Mon State. However, MIS Unit 5, based in
Moulmein, refused to give its consent for the celebrations, and finally
the event was held near Kanni in an area under the control of the New
Mon State Party (NMSP). The military considered this an act of
defiance and Dr. Min Soe Lin was subsequently placed on the military's
most wanted list.

Dr. Min Soe Lin joined the MNDF when it was formed after the 1988
uprising and was the General Secretary of the party when it was banned
by the SLORC in 1992. Dr. Min Soe Lin received his medical degree from
the Rangoon Institute of Medicine in 1985.

On September 7, 1998, he was arrested again. At the same time, Nai
Ngwe Thein, a Presidium of MNDF and Dr. Min Kyi Win, Joint-Secretary of
MNDF were also arrested for supporting and formation of Committee for
Representing the People Parliament.

(4) Dr. Min Kyi Win
Date of Birth:     29 June 1952
ID No.:             2 MDN 136133
Place of Birth:    Nyaungon Village, Mudon, Mon State
Parents:            Nai Byaw and Mi Saw Shein
Education:        M.B.B.S
Author's name:        Min Chan Mon (Medical 2), Lwee Mon (Medical Education),
Hongdon (Medical Education), in Mon and Burmese poetry, novels

Age: 48 years

Profession: a medical doctor

Affiliation: Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF)

Elected Member of Parliament, Mudon Township Constituency, Mon State

Arrested on 1 September 1998

Sentenced to 7 years of imprisonment under the 1950 Emergency Provision Act

Place of Detention: Mawlamyaing Prison, Mon State.

 Name of wife:  Mi San Nwe (B.Com), lecturer at Moulmein Trade &
Commercial College
Names of children:  Banya Chan-Ai, Mi Chan Khamom Htaw, Mi Mon Chalon

His Activities

1972 - 1979 Mon Literature and Culture Committee, Rangoon University,
active in exploration, preserve and promote life of the Mon people,
their literature and culture, campaign for national reconciliation and unity
1977- Rangoon University, Committee for publishing Mon Magazine and Mon Calendar
1979- Editor, Shwe Hinthar Mon Bulletin
1977 - 19898 activist in the Committee for teaching Mon literature and Mon National Day Celebration

1982 - 1983  worked as a doctor of self-reliance schools in Mudon Township,
1984 - 1985 the secretary of National Medical (Doctors') Association,Mudon Township
1988 - Leader in democracy activists in Mudon
Founding member of Mon National Democratic Front, MNDF
Chairman, MNDF, Mudon Township
Joint-Secretary 1, MNDF
1990 Elected MP of Mudon Constituency 2

6-9-98       at 10 p.m. arrested at his house
19-9-98     investigated by MIS No. 5
21-9-98     at night sent to Moulmein Prison
11-12-98   sentenced for 7 year imprisonment

Please check the Anmesty International web site as the following link about Dr. Kyi Win

   On September 6 and the following day on 7, 1998, No. 5 Military Intelligence (MI) Unit, which bases in Moulmein and the local SPDC authorities arrested two Mon MPs, (1) Dr. Min Soe Lin, General Secretary of Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), elected from Ye Township Constituency No. 1; and (2) Dr. Min Kyi Win, Joint-Secretary of MNDF, elected from Mudon Constituency No. 2. On the same day, they also arrested Nai Tun Thein in Moulmein. He is the chairman of MNDF and an elected MPs from Thanbyuzayat Constituency No. 2. Similarly, Nai Ngwe Thein, a Presidium of MNDF was arrested in Rangoon. As the regime found some documents with Nai Ngwe Thein, Dr. Min Soe Lin and Dr. Soe Lin, which were supporting and formation of Committee for Representing the People Parliament, three of them were sent to jails in Moulmein and in Inn-sein. Then, three of them were appeared in courts on September 23, October 16, and October 27 respectively and were charged and imprisoned according to 1950 Emergency Provision Act, which accused they involved in destablizing the State Security. The imprisonment term for this charge is about 15-20 Years in jail. If these information are not enough, please let me know. I still try to get more information of them. I agreed that we need to do sometimes, that your advice is quite good.

Information from

THE MON FORUM

(5). Nai Shwe Kyin

The founder and President of the New Mon State Party from 1958 to 2002.