NMSP must be ready: Mon leaders

By Loa Htaw, IMNA

March 18, 2008 - The New Mon State Party (NMSP) must be ready if it does not plan to either support the referendum or involve itself in the elections, said Mon revolutionary leaders.

"The NMSP must be ready for future movements if it does not plan to involve itself in the elections.

Whether the party involves itself or not, the situation will remain the same. It is better not to get involved," said a senior leader of the MNDF.

The former Army Chief of the NMSP General Aung Naing had also warned the party that the Burmese regime will crackdown on them soon if they do not support the referendum and get involved in the elections.

"Without disarming the NMSP the regime will not recognise it as a political party and will not allow it to get involved in the elections. Even if the junta does disarm, the government will not give equal rights or a federal state either unless NMSP can oust the military government," General Aung Naing had said.

"The ensuing election will usher in a new military government. If the NMSP does involve itself, they may not get a chance to do political movements anymore," said a MNDF senior leader.

Another senior MNDF leader predicted that there will be an uprising again if the government holds the referendum and elections and ignores what the people want.

The Chairman of the Mon Unity League Nai Sunthorn said that Mon people have invested their lives and properties in the Mon revolution for over half a century and NMSP must consider that in their decision making for the ensuing referendum and elections. Otherwise, we will lose what we have done and will have to begin the revolution from scratch.

New Mon State Party (NMSP) was formed in July 1958 just after a big surrender of the Mon People¢s Front (MPF) which took up armed resistance since 1948. The NMSP reached a ceasefire with the Burmese government in 1995 to solve political problems across the table.