Mon cease-fire on the wane
While New Mon State Party moderately celebrates the 8th year of a cease-fire agreement in Moulmein, the party is being criticized by the majority of Mon over the lack of any political improvement
While New Mon State Party moderately celebrates the 8th year
of a cease-fire agreement in Moulmein, the party is being criticized by the
majority of Mon over the lack of any political improvement.
The Mon Unity League, an umbrella organization, comprised of various groups from Burma and Thailand issued a statement on the 8th anniversary of the cease-fire agreement between the NMSP and ruling regime urging civilians both in homeland and overseas to join in with the democratic forces to speed up activities for political change in Burma.
The statement of the MUL’s Central Executive Committee accused the State Peace and Development Council for blocking a political dialogue and breaching the cease-fire agreement reached in the capital city of Mon State on June 29, 1995. Despite a small level of development, gross human rights violation and the abuse of power continue in Mon State and the suppression of the ethnic and democratic groups (NLD) has worsened.
The Australia based Mon National Council, on the same day, strongly urged the NMSP to reconsider its policy over the cease-fire. The party’s lack of self-confidence has fallen prey into the hands of junta, it said. The MNC sees the agreement as vehicle for surrendering to the enemy (SPDC) benefiting only the junta, while civilians continue to suffer from human rights violation such as force labour, land confiscation, arrest, torture, rape and murder by the Burmese Army.
Chairman of Monland Restoration Council (USA) Nai Pon Nya Mon said the SPDC does not honor the cease-fire agreement; thousands of acres of land have been confiscated with people being uprooted from their homes, while Burmese troops continue to be deployed in Mon state. These operations violate the cease-fire agreement and also threaten the security of both the NMSP and Mon people. If the SPDC continues such violations, the cease-fire between the two parties cannot be sustained for very long, he said during the interview with Kao Wao.
Mon human rights groups and the local Medias reported that the Burmese Army confiscated more than 8,000 acres of land in Ye, Thanbyu Zayat and Mudon townships after the cease-fire.
Inside Mon State, leaflets have been secretly distributed since late March over the cease-fire and the general political situation in the area. IMNA reported the statement, written by a Mon patriot, was widely distributed after he discussed with a Brigade Commander of the Burma Army in Rangoon who is a Mon national.
The statement said that although the NMSP requested for political talks several times, the regime does not respond so as to prolong the process until the NMSP loses its commitment. It is senseless for the NMSP to negotiate with the regime and it needs to resume an armed struggle.
The Mon commander who served in the Burmese Army for over 30 years said that the SPDC would never grant political rights to the ethnic nationalities nor ever even consider offering a greater autonomy. A thousand copies of the leaflet were distributed among the Mon people.
The underground leaflet stated that there will be no benefit or profit for the Mon people and the current regime’s development projects costing many millions Kyat will be on the backs of the people to pay for, the regime only wants to prolong the ceasefire until the NMSP loses its control over the area.
Even though Vice President General Htaw Mon said the Party would not give up its arms, the SPDC has expanded several regiments near their strong hold areas. Recently a senior leader of the NMSP said that the cease-fire is a tactic of weakening NMSP armed forces while some guerrillas are involved in personal business rather than politics.
Besides the Mon civilians, some members of the NMSP were not satisfied with the cease-fire deal. The NMSP faced two major splits over the past eight years while Mergui Army in southern area broke away in 1996 and Colonel Pan Nyunt split from the Party and formed Hongsawatoi Restoration Party in 2001.
The Mon Unity League, an umbrella organization, comprised of various groups from Burma and Thailand issued a statement on the 8th anniversary of the cease-fire agreement between the NMSP and ruling regime urging civilians both in homeland and overseas to join in with the democratic forces to speed up activities for political change in Burma.
The statement of the MUL’s Central Executive Committee accused the State Peace and Development Council for blocking a political dialogue and breaching the cease-fire agreement reached in the capital city of Mon State on June 29, 1995. Despite a small level of development, gross human rights violation and the abuse of power continue in Mon State and the suppression of the ethnic and democratic groups (NLD) has worsened.
The Australia based Mon National Council, on the same day, strongly urged the NMSP to reconsider its policy over the cease-fire. The party’s lack of self-confidence has fallen prey into the hands of junta, it said. The MNC sees the agreement as vehicle for surrendering to the enemy (SPDC) benefiting only the junta, while civilians continue to suffer from human rights violation such as force labour, land confiscation, arrest, torture, rape and murder by the Burmese Army.
Chairman of Monland Restoration Council (USA) Nai Pon Nya Mon said the SPDC does not honor the cease-fire agreement; thousands of acres of land have been confiscated with people being uprooted from their homes, while Burmese troops continue to be deployed in Mon state. These operations violate the cease-fire agreement and also threaten the security of both the NMSP and Mon people. If the SPDC continues such violations, the cease-fire between the two parties cannot be sustained for very long, he said during the interview with Kao Wao.
Mon human rights groups and the local Medias reported that the Burmese Army confiscated more than 8,000 acres of land in Ye, Thanbyu Zayat and Mudon townships after the cease-fire.
Inside Mon State, leaflets have been secretly distributed since late March over the cease-fire and the general political situation in the area. IMNA reported the statement, written by a Mon patriot, was widely distributed after he discussed with a Brigade Commander of the Burma Army in Rangoon who is a Mon national.
The statement said that although the NMSP requested for political talks several times, the regime does not respond so as to prolong the process until the NMSP loses its commitment. It is senseless for the NMSP to negotiate with the regime and it needs to resume an armed struggle.
The Mon commander who served in the Burmese Army for over 30 years said that the SPDC would never grant political rights to the ethnic nationalities nor ever even consider offering a greater autonomy. A thousand copies of the leaflet were distributed among the Mon people.
The underground leaflet stated that there will be no benefit or profit for the Mon people and the current regime’s development projects costing many millions Kyat will be on the backs of the people to pay for, the regime only wants to prolong the ceasefire until the NMSP loses its control over the area.
Even though Vice President General Htaw Mon said the Party would not give up its arms, the SPDC has expanded several regiments near their strong hold areas. Recently a senior leader of the NMSP said that the cease-fire is a tactic of weakening NMSP armed forces while some guerrillas are involved in personal business rather than politics.
Besides the Mon civilians, some members of the NMSP were not satisfied with the cease-fire deal. The NMSP faced two major splits over the past eight years while Mergui Army in southern area broke away in 1996 and Colonel Pan Nyunt split from the Party and formed Hongsawatoi Restoration Party in 2001.
