Lack of fairness in National Convention, Mon leader Says

BBC 06/08/2004

NMSP Secretary General Naing Han Tha told the BBC
Burmese Service that the delegates for elected
representatives and ethnic groups were outnumbered by
those handpicked by the military government.

BBC Interview with Naing Han Tha

'Talking about situation of eligible delegates- some
organisations, which should have been there, are not
there- and the truly representative ethnic delegates
and elected representatives are minority but the
delegates representing the military government are the
majority at the National Convention, and I think it is
somehow lack of fairness', says Naing Han Tha.

Naing Han Tha also said their proposals for a genuine
(federal) union were rejected by the convention
convening authorities.

'The proposals rejected by the Convention Convening
authorities are mainly symbolic features of a federal
union and a guarantee for rightful powers and
jurisdictions for the states. Rejecting these
proposals is not very good for us, it is a little bit
of deviation from forming a (federal) union', Naing
Han Tha says in a BBC interview.

Thirteen ethnic groups collectively submitted a
proposal which asked for self-determination in their
respective regions during the National Convention
which had started in May 2004.

The National Convention has taken a break since 9 July
and the official reason for the recess is to give some
time for the Convention Convening authorities to
compile the various proposals and write up the
principles based on majority.

New Mon State Party is the largest Mon armed group,
which had been fighting self-determination for Mon
people in Burma for many decades.

It has reached cease-fire agreement with the Burmese
military government in 1995.