Will the upcoming election lead to a lasting peace in Burma?

By: Taingtae, Kaowao
Opinion/Analysis

For the first time since it was annulled in 1992, the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF) has appeared on the political stage in Mon State, thanks to the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC)’s roadmap to democracy.

The SPDC’s roadmap to democracy paved the way for the Mon political party to explain the party's platform and values to the Mon people last month. The MNDF have decided not to participate in upcoming election sponsored by the SPDC regime. The Party’s senior leader, Dr Nai Hongdoung (elected MP in the 1990 election and Joint Secretary General of MNDF) explained to the crowd that his party's stance is to boycott the election because of weaknesses in the new constitution. This stance is the same as that of Burma’s main political party National League for Democracy (NLD). The NLD is led by Aung San Suu Kyi and won a landslide victory in the 1990 election.

“According to article 14 of the constitution, there are only a few words on the rights of ethnic nationalities’ culture and language,” Dr. Hongdoung briefed the audience at the Honoring Ceremony for Mon Students in Mudon Township, Mon State on April 11, 2009. The cheers and claps by the audience showed the public support for the Mon leader.

Contrarily, some senior Mon monks are pressuring the MNDF to be involved in the upcoming election. The Mon monks have been working to preserve Mon language and culture for two decades and believe that participating in the election will reduce the obstacles the SPDC has given them.

“Only Mon people and Mon affairs organizations can best preserve Mon language and culture, no other organizations can do this,” Hongdoung told the audience. What he meant was that is best not to rely on policies of the regime to preserve language and culture of ethnic nationalities in Burma.

His public speech was the first since his party was disbanded by the military regime. We do not know how long the SPDC will ignore the activities of the MNDF, but for now the SPDC does not give Hongdoung any trouble.

Nai Hongdoung (aka) Dr. Min Kyi Win is one of the five elected Mon MPs in 1990 general election. The MNDF is one of the major parties among the ethnic nationalities in Burma. Its Chairman Nai Tun Thein and Vice Chairman Nai Ngwe Thein told Stephen Blake, the director of the US State Department’s Office of Mainland Southeast Asia in Rangoon last March that without reviewing the new constitution of the SPDC; they will oppose the upcoming election in 2010. Both of them are key players in ethnic politics while Shan leader Khun Tun Oo, Chairman of the ethnic coalition party, United Nationalities Alliance, is in the prison.

MNDF leaders Dr Min Soe Linn, Nai Ngwe Thein and Nai Tun Thein were sent to prison after formation of CRPP (Committee Representing People’s Parliament). The CRPP was formed to recognize the results of the 1990 elections and supported by 251 parliament members. Since the MNDF was disbanded by the regime, it members were politically silent and remained active in preserving Mon culture and language. Most of its youth wing went to neighboring countries to work because of economic hardship inside the country.

Only in the past year, the MNDF (LA) is formed and politically active in liberated areas. Nai Thaung Shein, one of elected candidates leads the activities, joining with other ethnic political groups based along the border of Burma-Thailand.
The MNDF won 5 seats and lost 14 seats in the 1990 poll. Some of its key areas, such as southern Mon State, were not permitted to vote because they were named black areas by the SPDC.

While their ultimate goal is to establish federalism in the country, the Mon people focus on language and culture preservation. Most of the Mon, including politicians, say that Mon language and culture are critical to the lives of Mon people.

Another Mon arm and political organization, the New Mon State Party (NMSP) stands along with the MNDF not to participate in the 2010 election. The NMSP sent its delegation to the SPDC sponsored National Convention at Nyaung Hnabin as observers only. Both parties strongly oppose the new constitution and upcoming election citing their reason as the lack of a guarantee for federalism.

In contrast, some Mon politicians oppose the party's strong stance and hope to participate in the upcoming election. The disagreements have been seen since the UN special envoy Mr. Gambari welcomed the SPDC’s election. There are many concerns for this upcoming election even though some politicians want to take the advantage.

After Burma gained independence from Britain in 1948, the weak and undemocratic constitution led to civil war in the country. Many worry that this may happen again, as both 1947 and 1974 constitutions did not save the country from the civil war. The 1947 constitution was even better than the 1974 constitution of BSPP (Burma Socialist Programme Party) and the 2008 new constitution of the SPDC. Many ethnic politicians have said that the problem of Burma today is a constitutional one. Only a good constitution can solve Burma's current problems. Can the SPDC’s constitution save the country from civil war? Without federalism and democratic constitution, will Burma achieve lasting peace?