Junta Officials Snub Mon Party Ceasefire Anniversary

Burmese junta officials from the southeast command snubbed the New Mon State Party’s 14th anniversary celebration of its ceasefire agreement with the government at the party’s office in Moulmein on Monday, according to officials.

A NMSP member, who didn’t want to be named, said that the party invited southeast command officials, but none attended.

“They might hate us because we don’t listen [agree] to what they say,” he said. “That’s why they didn’t come to the celebration.”

According to a source close to the party, the junta is worried that NMSP leaders will rescind the ceasefire agreement and also not agree to become a border guard force under the junta’s command.

NMPS leaders have been told to give their answer on transforming into a border guard force by the end of July.

According to a source close to the NMSP, its leaders do not want their military troops to become a border guard force.

However, some party leaders would like to participate in the 2010 election said the source.

The party normally celebrates its ceasefire agreement, which was signed in 1995, at a hotel in Moulmein, but this year it was celebrated at its party office in Moulmein because of budget restrictions.

The junta withdrew its budget to the party following the party’s refusal to join the national convention in 2008. Its contribution in 2008 was about 4 million kyat [US $3,636] a month.

Naing Han Thar, a general secretary of the party, said, “The government doesn’t provide anything for our party any more. It is hard to run the party without enough money. We run [on] money contributed from our people.”

The junta has imposed restrictions on the party from conducting business deals and from taxing the people, which has prevented it from increasing the size of its military force.

In spite of the ceasefire agreement, observers say there has been little political advancement in over a decade in Mon State, and Burmese troops have continued a campaign of human rights abuses.

The Mon Party attended the national constitutional convention held by the regime in 2003, but left after a proposal to form a federal government was rejected. Later the party simply sent observers to the convention.

The Mon Party released a statement opposing the junta’s constitutional referendum in 2008, citing fears that the process would strengthen the government by giving it a veneer of democracy without resulting in any actual improvements.


irrawaddy