Is There Unity among the Mon People? 

Lawi Weng

Do the Mon people feel sad when they hear that other ethnic groups can be represented by or nominate their own representatives at the ENC (Ethnic Nationalities Council) conference and the Mon can't? For me, as a Mon, I feel very sad and it makes me ashamed to hear that they can not appoint their five representatives. It seems to me that the Mon showed at the conference that we are not ready to participate at the tripartite dialogue to solve problems in Burma 's near future. And also, the Mon indicated that they do not have unity among themselves.  

Regarding the conference, I spoke to an unnamed member of the NMSP (New Mon State Party) who attended the conference of the ENC, and he said that we have already elected five representatives. So, we have already constructed the road for our five Mon representatives. For them they only have to talk at the tripartite dialogue when it happens in the future. According to this participant, the Mon are ready to get involved at the tripartite dialogue to deal with the conflicts among the other ethnic leaders.

I thought what he was saying might be true because, unlike the Shan, there are not many small or distinct ethnic groups in Mon state to select representatives to participate at the dialogue. For the Shan with so many distinct groups, they have problems with who to select as their representatives at the dialogue.  

But when I asked an unnamed member of the MUL (Mon Unity League) who attended the conference, it seems that the MNSP is trying to catch two fish with one hand. According to him, the Mon can not nominate representatives because the MNSP is still waiting for the decision from the NDF's (National Democratic Front) meeting. The MNSP is a member of NDF and also of the ENC. They have already nominated representatives to send to the ENC. But they have to wait until a decision comes from the NDF regarding sending representatives.

In my point of view, the NMSP should not catch two fishes with one hand. For example, if someone works with many branches or departments, it does not work out, as shown by one person holding many departmental duties. The work takes time and in the end one person cannot do the whole job. A doctor can only work at the health department. He can not work at both the health and the investing departments. He can be an expert of health, but he can not be an expert of investment.

The NMSP is trying to approach the military government to solve the Mon conflict on the table, so let's try it. To make alliances with the ethnic and pro-democracy groups who are abroad, the Mon people living abroad should be responsible.

In failing to nominate their representatives at the ENC conference, the Mon have shown their weak point.

There is another ENC conference in January 2006. Before the conference starts, the Mon should be ready to nominate their representatives. The Mon should show that they are willing to solve problems in Burma at a tripartite dialogue.

To nominate the representatives, the NMSP should hold a conference or referendum among the Mon people living abroad and inside Burma . It should not select only members of the NMSP and MUL and MYPO (Mon Youth Progressive Organization). The Mon should think of the future and who they respect as charismatic leaders for them. If they do not hold the conference, there might be a very problematic question for other people: Is there unity among the Mon people?