The Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), which won five seats in Burma’s 1990 election only to see the election results ignored by Burma’s military regime, has announced that the party will not re-register as a legal political party even if the National League for Democracy decides to accept the government’s amended Political Party Registration Laws.

Dr.Min Soe Lin -MNDF (Photo:Kaowao)

Speaking to Kaowao on November 7, Dr. Min Soe Lin, a MNDF representative who won a seat in Ye Township when the party contested the 1990 election, said, “We have to discuss a lot in our party if we go for party registration because we do not see any significant differences from the original version’s wording that dictates that registered parties shall ‘respect and abide’ by the constitution to now calling on legal parties to ‘safeguard’ the constitution.”

“And also, our party cannot accept Article 6 of the Basic Principles of
The Union’s consistent objectives which calls on the Defence Services to have a national political leadership role in the State,” Dr. Min Soe Lin added.

President Thein Sein signed the amendments to the Political Party Registration Laws on November 5, with many interpreting the changes as intending to encourage Nobel laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party to accept the modified political system and re-register as a legal party to contest future elections, thereby giving legitimacy to Burma’s nominally civilian-led government.

“It does not mean we have to go for party re-registration if the NLD goes for it,” said Dr. Min Soe Lin. “Our alliance is ethnic. Our close friendship is with the NMSP [New Mon State Party].”

The NMSP, which is a Mon armed group based in the southern part of Burma, has similar the MNDF in opposing Burma’s 2008 Constitution and has refused to transform its armed forces in Border Guard Forces as demanded by the Burmese government in 2010.

“We will not abandon the NMSP as they are our primary friendship,” he said.

The MNDF released a statement in March 2010 announcing that they did not accept the 2008 Constitution, saying the constitution contained several unacceptable and undemocratic conditions.

Meanwhile, MNDF leaders said that they have been disappointed with the lack of positive change in Mon communities, even though there have been many hopeful discussions in the country’s parliaments.

“They are talking about many good things in the National Parliament and People’s Parliament. However, we have not seen our people get any benefit from it yet,” said Dr. Min Soe Lin.

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