20 delegates from the Mon Unity League, EU Mon Organization, Monland Restoration Council (USA), Mon Canadian Society and Mon National Democratic Front (Liberated Area) gathered at Thai-Burma border town for a Leadership Dialogue Meeting and discussed about the present political situation from May 16-18.

The participants viewed that the SPDC’s national convention cannot solve the political crisis of Burma because it lacked delegates from the political parties.

“The SPDC’s 104 principles are based on a unitary state and not a federal system which we are seeking. Mon delegations were dominated by the SPDC and were not able to communicate with outsiders,” said Nai Sunthorn, General Secretary of Mon Unity League, an umbrella organization based at the Thai-Burma border.

“We observed some points in the draft gave top priority to the military to seize State power whenever it deems it necessary. According to their new constitution, which has a militarist strategy, the President of Burma must have ten years’ of military experience, which effectively blocks Ms Suu Kyi and other ethnic leaders to ever become leaders in our own country,” he added.

The dialogue meeting agreed to set up an International Campaign for Mon Affairs or ICMA to bring awareness of the Mon people abroad, to plan for a Mon National Fund raising and to form a Mon Women Global Network. However, the gathering mainly focused on the SPDC’s National Convention.

“There is no freedom of expression and the representatives are put in a concentration camp. The New Mon State Party delegates represent only their Party and not the entire Mon people”, said Nai Banya Dean a leader from the Monland Restoration Council (USA).

The meeting was organized by the MUL and financially supported by the Mon community in exile. The delegates also set up work plans, which were formerly agreed by the Mon National Affairs Seminar held in Mon State in March 14-18.

According to a spokesperson from the NMSP, the Party expects the NC as a place for a political settlement and the NMSP and other 5 ceasefire groups have asked for changes to the six objectives and 104 principles presented at the convention.

Source: Kao Wao News n. 68