Following the agreement on the party merger between the two major Mon ethnic political parties, there are only three township-levels of the parties left to merge.
The Mon political parties, the All Mon Region Democracy Party (AMDP) and Mon National Party (MNP), agreed to merge back on August 7, 2018 at a meeting in Mon State Capital Mawlamyine.
The new unified Mon party initially submitted it’s registration to the Union Election Committee (UEC) under the name Mon Party. However, the UEC rejected the name. Party representatives have submitted the party registration again under the name of ‘Mon Unity Party’.
While waiting for the party registration from the UEC, the party representatives have unified respective township-level party committees. Thus far, only three township-levels have yet to be merged, according to the party leaders.
“There is one township-level left to merge in [Karen State’s] Kawkareik [township]. Also there are two townships left for the merger: one in Yangon and one in Bago. But we will soon implement the merger in those in Yangon and Bago,” said Nai Layie Tamarh, joint-secretary (1) of the soon to be Mon Unity Party.
The committees for 12 townships have already been consolidated. In Mon State, the list of already merged townships includes: Mawlamyine, Paung, Thaton, Kyaikhto, Kyaikmaraw, Mudon, Thanbyuzayat, and Ye. In adddition, Kawthaung and Boatpyin in Tharnintharyi Region and Kyarinnseikkyi Township in Karen State have also been merged.
“The first step is, whether the request for the unification or party establishment, Mon Unity Party will be approved. After it has been approved, we will have to submit a list of a thousand of party members and central committee members. Only after we have submitted, will the party be registered. Right after the registration is approved, we will withdraw our two parties’ [last] signboards,” said Nai Layae Tamarh.
Nai Layae Tamarh said the township-level merging would be completed in the coming week. At the moment, in Mudon Township, about 20 villages have been merging for village-level unification.
“The level that has been reached now is what we wanted to become one party. This is a good point. Now that it is 2019, it is best to make the party merging at the village level and township level fast. This can help better prepare for 2020,” said Nai Banyar, from Mudon Town.
The next general elections in Myanmar are scheduled to take place in 2020. In addition to the newly-merged party, the Women’s Party (Mon), which competed in the last general elections, will likely also participate in the next election.
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Reported by Shwe Yo and translated by Jaeneh Aong
