The New Mon State Party (NMSP) has urged Mon people to vote for the ethnic Mon political party that will do the most to benefit Mon people according to an NMSP statement released on the 68th Mon Revolution Day on 20 August.
The statement was read out by battalion commander, Lieutenant Colonel M Seik Chan of the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA) No. (5), the armed wing of the NMSP, at the 68th Mon Revolution Day event held in Japan Well Village in an area controlled by the NMSP near the Three Pagoda's Pass on the Burma-Thai border.
The statement also pointed out that because many Mon men work abroad to provide for their families back home there are fewer Mons voting and it is confusing for Mon people because there are many Mon political parties, which could negatively impact on the Mon Hluttaw (Mon Parliament) campaigns.
Lieutenant Colonel M. Seik Chan Reading Released Statement (photo: IMNA)
The Mon votes will be split because there are three ethnic Mon parties contesting the 2015 elections. They are: the Mon National Party (MNP), the All Mon Regions Democracy Party (AMDP) and the Mon Women’s Party (Mon).
Nai Htaw Mon, the Chairman of the NMSP said: "In our Mon society there are three political parties. Because it is necessary for the elections to take place votes must be cast. Our votes should go to the representatives who will most benefit the Mon people."
He also urged Mon people to demand the rights to enable them to control their own destiny. To do this he said Mon people should participate in politics, be politically aware and have a knowledge of politics.
MNLA Unit (photo: IMNA)
The NMSP statement also said that it is necessary for the armed struggle to continue during the election campaign and that the NMSP should work hand in hand with the ethnic armed groups of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) to achieve national peace and federal union.
The NMSP celebrated the 68th Mon Revolutionary Day with army parades at its headquarters in Moulmein, Thaton and Dawei districts.
Other events celebrating the day were held in Rangoon City, Lamine Town, Paung Town and Thanbyuzayat Town, and at the tombs of Mon leaders at Win Sein Tawya temple, in Mudon Township.
The Mon revolution against the central government started on 20 August 1948 when a group of Mon youths attacked a police station in Zarthapyin Village and seized all the weapons. The revolution then escalated and the Mon revolutionaries went on to seize Moulmein City and Thaton Town.
Reporter Wonsa Mon
Edited in English for BNI by Mark Inkey
