Two Mon political parties are going to cooperate and merge into one party in order to prepare to run in elections in the future in Mon State, according to party leaders.

the party's flag of MNDF and logo of AMDP

The two parties' leaders, who are from All Mon Regions Democracy Party (AMDP) and Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), held one on one informal talks on Wednesday in Moulmein and agreed to join the two parties.

Nai Ngwe Thein, who is the chairman of AMDP, said that "our Mon people, including monks, wanted us to join together. They told us that those who did not agree to join, would not be allowed to enter their villages."

He said that majority of our party’s members have already agreed to join. If there are people who do not agree to join, their future will be decided by a party vote. If someone loses votes, they should leave the party.

The AMDP leaders said that they are going to have a meeting next Sunday to discuss with members of the party the idea of merging with the MNDF.

The AMDP participated in the election last year, and won 16 seats in Mon State and the party supported the 2008 constitution, while the MNDF did not support the new constitution and did not participate in the election. The MNDF won 5 seats in the 1990 election in Mon State.

Dr. Min Soe Lin, who is the secretary of MNDF, said, “There should be only one party in Mon State because we do not want our Mon people to be confused when they cast their votes.

We do not want Mon opposition parties take votes from our people. If we are not united, the opposition parties can take votes from our people” he said.

Mon political leaders believe that they need to prepare for future elections after Aung San Suu Kyi and her party decided to registration their party on November 18.

The leaders said that we should be united because we can not trust Aung San Suu Kyi, who they accused of taking sides with the Burmese President Thein Sein.

“The ethnic people trusted her for a long time. But, it seems now she has betrayed them. Now we should be united. We are going to talk with the different ethnic groups about joining together,” said Nai Ngwe Thein.

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