Conscription Law by Myanmar Military Signals No More Stops or Talks With the Chairman of the MSFC
CJ Platform reached out to Naimon Sai, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Mon State Federal Council (MSFC), to understand the stance of the Mon ethnic revolutionary groups towards the Military Council.
CJ: We’ve noticed your support for the New Mon State Party’s commitment to combat the military dictatorship. Despite initially committing to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) post-coup, the New Mon State Party now seeks to join the revolution. What are your thoughts on this shift after three years?
NMS – In fact, the New Mon Party signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) in 2018. Their initial intention was to resolve political issues through dialogue, aiming for the establishment of a federal union. This led us to engage in peace discussions in 2018 and 2020, striving to improve the situation in Mon State. Unfortunately, we were not successful. Following the 2021 coup d’état, the New Mon Party believed that violence was not the solution, despite differing opinions. They hoped for future negotiations and political dialogue. Initially, this is why they refrained from taking part in the conflict, opting out of participation.
Another point many leaders mention is how the Mon region’s geography differs from other areas. In Mon, there’s a lot of flat land, with about 30 troops and a military division stationed there. This means that if conflict were to erupt in Mon State, the civilian population would be directly affected, they often highlight this concern.
However, my perspective on why they are making these decisions now is influenced by the long-standing resistance against the military dictatorship by various organizations, including the Mon New Party, the Karen National Union (KNU), and the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP). These groups have shown considerable success in their continuous fight.
As all joined the battle, we too witnessed significant achievements. Concurrently, other ethnic armed forces have engaged in the north, managing to control vast areas. This demonstrates that without the participation of the main armed organization in Mon State, our territorial control remains vulnerable.
The State Administration Council (SAC) recognizes the New Mon Party’s wish for peace and readiness to have discussions under the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA). However, there’s a big gap because their actions don’t match what the New Mon Party wants and expects. This, in my view, is the main problem.
If I have to give you an example, consider when the battle had already started, and heavy weapons were used. The New Mon Party officially opposed this, stating that such actions should not be taken against villages that were not involved in the conflict. However, the military disregarded these directives. I believe this is because they do not respect the New Mon Party’s stance. As a result, the New Mon Party could no longer continue on this path. Given the revolutionary situation around them, they felt compelled to fight back against the military dictator.
CJ: If you look at the statement of the New Mon State Party, you can see that their entire group did not join the anti-dictatorship, but only another force, including the Secretary and the Deputy Chief of Staff, broke away. A group of forces said that they will continue with the NCA route as before. I think you can say it’s a third party. Since you are a separate Mon group, how do you want to encourage the rest of the group and what kind of conversation do you want to have?
NMS: Things haven’t changed. This isn’t just about this year; it’s been happening for a while. Some key people in the New Mon State Party such as central executive and central committee members have been pushing to resist the military dictatorship.
They made it clear at our last conference that they’re running out of patience. Their belief in the NCA is gone. They’ve lost faith. Like I said before, Mon villages are suffering in many ways. They’ve been attacked with heavy weapons, even from planes in some areas. These actions made people upset with the New Mon State Party because it seems like we can’t protect them. After these incidents, those against the dictatorship tried to strike back. They’re trying.
I think whether the rest of the organizations accept the NCA or not. Regardless of the groups that stay without shooting, I think any group should participate in the revolution. They need to participate now. Because as we know today, just the day before yesterday, the conscription law was enacted, showing they’ll prioritize military action over dialogue. We all know that it is going to cause great harm to the public. As we’re an organization that represents the people and opposes military dictatorship. Our goal is democracy and federalism, so joining the revolution is crucial. I encourage them to do the same.
We, the Mon people, believe that dictatorship is harmful. In the current situation, it’s essential to acknowledge the groups fighting the dictator. We encourage our community to build mutual understanding and prevent internal conflicts, no matter their position on resisting tyranny. We also endorse these groups uniting against the dictatorship to strengthen our unity.
CJ: With the military council suggesting by-elections, is it possible to establish a government and follow the NCA path once more? I’m interested in hearing your thoughts on this.
NMS: I believe they’re attempting to gain legitimacy, but it’s no longer feasible. We cannot go back to the NCA or return to the way things were in 2008. Therefore, any election they conduct will be illegitimate, as is their government. Regardless of their efforts, they’re unlikely to succeed. Given the extensive military conflict throughout the country, peace is the only real solution, which the revolutionary forces have not endorsed. If they proceed with this plan, it might be possible in some areas, but overall, the election won’t be considered valid.