Relating to the political changes in Burma since Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party, the National League for Democracy, announced the decision to re-register the party and participate in Burma’s upcoming by-elections, Nai Hong Sar, Secretary of the New Mon State Party, as well as the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), spoke recently to Kaowao about his current political views. These views are not necessarily the views of NMSP or UNFC, and are only his personal views.

 Question: The National League for Democracy has decided to re-register as a legal political party, and Aung San Suu Kyi Party has decided to contest in the upcoming by-elections. Relating to these current political changes, what is your opinion?

 They [the Burmese government] have implemented a little democracy since they changed from a fully military government to a partially civilian government. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her party use the non-violence method. Those who use this method, they need to take the opportunities that come to them.

Their decision is very appropriate with their methods. They need to contest in the election, even if it is only a small opportunity that this government has opened a door for them. If they [the NLD] did not make this decision, their non-violent methods may not have very much effect.

 They [the Burmese government] believe that if they can bring Aung San Suu Kyi onto their side, the international community is going to respect the government and will recognize them, and the sanctions from the international community that are imposed on the country may be lifted.

During this period, there will be benefits of basic democratic change in the country. If she [Aung San Suu Kyi] gets a seat in parliament, then she can discuss issues in the parliament. There will be some people who have similar ideas to her, and they will support her, and even possibly USDP [Union Solidarity and Development Party] members may support her because there are some military leaders who are at parliament, but they are aware that the military system does not benefit the people. Some have in their minds that they want to have political change in the country.

 [If Aung San Suu Kyi wins a parliamentary seat in the upcoming by-elections,] there will be a force to bring more democracy to the parliament with those who are neutral, and those who want to have political change in the country by supporting her.

 Question: What is the benefit for the ethnic people of Burma from Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s decision to re-register her party and to participate in the future election?

I want to say that she has a good mind and is the best leader among all the Burmese leaders who understand the situation of the ethnic people. Her father, General Aung San, agreed and signed the Panglong Agreement with ethnic leaders in the past, but it failed to be implement [after his assassination]. In order to maintain her father’s dignity or her father’s role, she should seek to work with ethnic leaders in a similarly cooperative way.

 Since the 1990 election, her party and the ethic parties have negotiated and agreed to promote and recognize ethnic rights. We held the Maethrawtha Seminar conference in 1997. We released our statement from the seminar that we had agreed to set up a federal union of Burma, and Aung San Suu Kyi supported us.

Question: You have mentioned many positive things about her. But are you not worried about her, or have a certain amount of mistrust, as she is a Burman Burmese?

 If we look at all of what she has done in the past, even if it is only a little for the ethnic people of Burma, she is going to be able to do that and more at parliament.

 However, for our ethnic people, we should not breathe easy or rely only on her or follow her blindly. We should also fight on our own in order to get our rights. We [ethnic people] should be united. We need to fight both legally with politics, and illegally with our armed struggles. If we can do effectively with both methods, we will get our achievement.

 We have lost one comrade now. The government knows that we have asked to have tripartite dialogue [between the government, ethnic groups, and Burmese pro-democracy groups]. They have taken one force, and only one force now remains. They are going to play one-by-one for them, until we can no longer have tripartite dialogue.

 For the Burmese government, it is good for them as they can take Aung San Suu Kyi on their side. But, for us, we should not think that we have lost a lot after Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD have joined the government’s side because she knows that if the government cannot solve the ethnic issues, there will be no peace or development in this country. We believe that she will not forget about us.

 Question: Some people have said that Aung San Suu Kyi is risking losing the support and trust of ethnic people as she re-registers her party and participates in the by-elections. What do you think?

 It could be right because she has decided to participate with the government. When she opposed the government, she had a lot of trust from our ethnic people. Therefore, there should be concern about this. She should do everything she can to maintain the trust and support of the ethnic people.

 Question: Of the legal fight [with politics] and the illegal fight [with armed insurrection], which one is a stronger force at this time do you think?

 From the point of view of those who fight for democracy, they can say the illegal fight has become weak with this situation. For example, even Dr. Sein Win from the NCGUB [the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma], said that there will be no need to fight for democracy from outside the country, as Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD re-register their party. The forces that have been fighting for democracy [from outside of Burma] may flow back into the country, and then only the ethnic forces will remain. Our forces will be weak. But, we need to solidify our forces. There will be more people inside who have the same ideas as us. This will be a force and an opportunity for us as well.

Question: How about the armed struggle of the New Mon State Party? What is the party planning to do in the future?

 We need to maintain a strong stand for our armed struggle. We do not need to change our stand. We need to maintain our unity, and should continue our armed struggle to be more effective. Aung San Suu Kyi’s forces, which are the Burmese pro-democracy forces, will push from one side, and our ethnic armed struggle forces will push from another side. When these two forces are more effective, we will be able to bring the Burmese leaders to the negotiation table sooner.