Nai Thar Bu

Exclusive Interview with NMSP General-Secretary, Nai Hong Sar

New Mon State Party (NMSP) General Secretary, Nai Hong Sar was interviewed by Loa Htaw, Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA), in Sangkhlaburi on what Burmese government accused on their members as criminals. But he refused the accusation and continues talking about what NMSP and other cease-fire groups’ request to military government, SPDC, in the recent National Convention. Here in the full transcript of the interview.

Q: Now what is the situation of 8 NMSP members who were arrested on June 29, on the day of 9th anniversary of NMSP cease-fire with regime SPDC?

A: Now 8 members are in the jail but not in the prison yet. Some of them are also sick at the moment.

Q: Why these soldiers are not release yet?

A: It is because they (the regime’s authorities) accused against our members as criminals for threatening the people by guns in collecting tax money. But for us it is between our people and us. We have worked for our people. So, it is normal that we ask the supports from our people.

Q: Before eight soldiers went to collect tax money, we heard that NMSP have informed Burmese (government) authorities about that, so why did they still arrest these soldiers?
A: We have been collecting (tax) money since 1995 when we had cease-fire with Burmese government until this year. We have thousands of soldiers who are working for our people. Each year we spend a lot of money for those soldiers to eat, to drink, and for their uniforms and it is also spent for our party’s activities. But we received only a little economic concessions from government to involve in businesses. So, in order to accommodate for our soldiers (party members) and for our movement, we have to ask supports from our people. Our people also know their responsibilities to help us as they can for our nations or movement. We are not forcing our people to get money.

Q: Although NMSP has informed authorities why eight soldiers were arrested by authorities?

A: As political situation today, we can say that government wants to force us as they like. May be they just wanted to arrest because they don’t like our stance with other cease-fire groups in the National Convention. Or may be for other reasons. We have been asking for supporting money from our people since we had cease-fire with government in 1995 and until now. But, this year, although we have informed them, our soldiers were still arrested.

Q: Do you mean because NMSP acted very hard position in the National Convention?

A: May be. Because in the National Convention we acted to the government on what our party have decided. At the same time, we discussed and acted together with other cease-fire groups. On that case, we think government doesn’t like on us and other cease-fire groups.

Q: So, what NMSP and other cease-fire groups have requested to government in the National Convention?

A: In the NC, we especially requested based on federalism and democracy.

Q: Do you think government will response positively to what your party and other cease-fire groups have requested?

A: No, we already know that they won’t be response positively for us because they have refused seven points of our requests what is the most important for ethnic people. They said that those points are against their objectives, which is road map to democracy. So, they have refused diplomatically.

Q: What are the most important of seven points that cease-fire groups have requested?

A: I can’t remember all but the most important is every ethnic state should have its own law, security, concurrent power and foreign relationship.

Q: How about for education, what your party have requested for education?

A: We have requested every ethnic people must have rights to maintain and use their own language and culture.

Q: Although your party have requested those kinds of rights but what we heard at the moment is Burmese military government destroyed Mon National School signboard in southern Ye township. So what is your opinion on this issue?

A: During National Convention, one of government authorities called the leader of Mon National School teachers and said that they will turn MNS to government school and Mon teachers have to become as government teachers. So, if Mon teachers want to teach Mon literature, they can teach the school in extra time. At that point Mon teachers, students parents, monks were raising their voice as they could not accept the rules and also against to the authorities. We also assumed that the government breaks the ethnic rights even during NC. Then regime refused that it was not the order from the top government and said they will not disturb to MNS and will build it own schools in the region.

Q: During NC although NMSP leaders have negotiated with government about MNS but after NC we heard that authorities in the region have destroyed MNS signboards and change to as government school. So what is your opinion?

A: We have asked this news to our group but still not receive yet, so we cannot confirm on this story.

Q: Let’s me focus on eight of NMSP members again. These members have been arrested over one month and they still do not release yet so how NMSP will negotiate to the government to release the soldiers?

A: On the government side they have accused our soldiers as criminals in collecting tax money. On this case, if they want to blame, just blame the leaders. They should not blame to our soldiers. We also have asked the regime’s Prime Minister, Lt. Gen. Kyin Nyunt, for the unconditional release of our soldiers. But currently the Prime Minister is not in the country. So, we still have to wait.

Q: When will eight soldiers release and do you think NMSP can negotiate to the government to release?

A: We can’t say when they will be released. But we think we can negotiate with government to release.

Q: If NMSP can’t negotiate how your party will struggle to the government?

A: It will get more tensions between regime and us.

Q: What do you mean more tensions? Do you mean that it will affect cease-fire agreement with regime?

A: At the moment, we can’t say exactly. But if they don’t respect on cease-fire agreement, we have to concern more.

Q: If it will get tense, how condition it will be?

A: We can’t say before it happens.

Q: What do you want to say on 8 NMSP members arrested?

A: These soldiers were working for implementing the orders from the NMSP Headquarters. Our members, they work for the people, they ask help from their people, so, we believe ‘It is normal. It is not a crime’. For Mon people, they need to serve the nation anyway. Serve with tax money, supplies and basically information are normal activities for them. If the regime stops us in collecting tax money, it means that they destroy our revolution.