New Mon State Party blames SPDC on 55th Mon Revolutionary Day



Aung Ngwe Thine

Mizzima News



August 23, 2002



Today 23rd of August is the 55th anniversary of Mon Revolutionary Day. The New Mon State Party (NMSP), which is in peace agreement with the SPDC, today released a statement aimed at Mon people in general and its party members in particular.

It was mentioned that the NMSP entered ceasefire agreement with the aims of finding a long-lasting solution to the political problems of Burma through political dialogue. Its decision was based on Burma's internal changes and current political scenario, taking place in today's world.

However, the MSNP said that it is not satisfied with the failure of the Burmese regime to hold a legal political dialogue with NMSP till today. Moreover, Mon nationals are being deprived of their own rights including the freedom to learn Mon literature.

"Therefore, we would continuously strive to achieve our objectives with any means possible," stated the statement.

The statement further said that the New Mon State Party is closely watching the political developments in Burma whether a political dialogue would soon come up in Burma with international community mounting its pressure.

"The nation will be peaceful only through a tripartite dialogue involving non-Burman nationalities, democratic forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the SPDC".

The statement concluded that the entire Mon peoples inside and outside Burma including all the Mon revolutionaries would hand in hand strive for the rights of Mon peoples.

The NMSP entered the ceasefire agreement with the Burmese military government in 1995. Although the Burmese government allowed the NMSP to open its party offices in in Mawlmyaing, Yangon, Bago towns, the government does not allow political activities of the NMSP.

Therefore, splinter groups (fighting against the Burmese regime) from the NMSP have emerged in the past seven years.

According to sources close to the NMSP, some leaders of the NMSP have already become businessmen as a result of economic rights granted by the SPDC.

Many observers say that problems could arise in future between the Burmese junta and the NMSP because of the statement. The Burmese government will not like the statement, which came out amidst SPDC's attempts to control the NMSO economically and politically.