A Burmese police Captain who was in charge of a checkpoint in Ye Township has been reassigned, and security has been tightened, after the Chairman of the largest Mon political group was allowed to pass, and thus escape Burmese surveillance teams.

On November 8th, an unidentified Burmese State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) police Captain waved Nai Hongsa, the General Secretary of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), through the Ye checkpoint and across the Thadar Phyu bridge (white bridge). According to an NMSP official, the authorities hadn’t known the General Secretary would be crossing at that point, and his car was not searched.

“The Government [SPDC] believes that Nai Hongsa is special as NMSP [General Secretary],” the NMSP official explained. “They didn’t know Nai Hongsa had crossed the bridge and that’s why the Captain who was in charge of the Ye checkpoint was reassigned to another place. The government wants to know about what Nai Hongsa is talking about and has been following him to find out what does he does.”

The failure of the checkpoint to identify Nai Hongsa, and subsequently allowing him to pass without detection by SPDC security agents, has resulted in an increase of security at that checkpoint.

A source who was with Nai Hongsa’s car explained that after the General Secretary’s departure, the authority that are in charge of Ye bridge were have begun checking vehicles and have increased security. He explains that while previously the gate would often be left open, now checkpoint police keep the bamboo pole down at all times.

“Before, they just use one bamboo pole at their gate, but now they use two bamboo poles. They allowed Motorbike to cross although they don’t allow them to cross without being checked,” explained the source that had traveled with Nai Hongsa. “Every car has to stop in front of their gate [between the 2 bamboo poles] and is checked by police. After that they can go which way they want. When they [SPDC police] do check all the time, it is very unsuitable for the resident who lives around the NMSP area.”

At this time no other NMSP officials have yet crossed the checkpoint by car.

The NMSP office in Ye town had called ahead to the checkpoint on November 8th to inform the Captain in charge that their car would bringing Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA) Major Nai Lyeh Seam across. However, needing to attend a meeting with several monks, Nai Hongsa was given Nai Lyeh Seam’s place in the car, according to a source close to the NSMP. Nai Lyeh Seam is still reported to be in Ye town.

Nai Hongsa and other senior NMSP authorities have been traveling around Mon state speaking with Mon communities, monks, and Mon youth organizations.

“Nai Hongsa has said that the NMSP should not accept the 2010 election and has talked about their [NMSP] position. [He says] that if our Mon nation will be united in a decision, enemies can’t fight our Mon people. In the NMSP, I and Nai Ong Mange have been watched by SPDC,” stated a source that had taken part in the NMSP community meetings. “If the government does like this to Central Committee [they want] our party to get conflict visions each other though. For example, the SPDC has supported the Nai Aung Naing and Nai Shoung groups and released them to fight between Mon groups.”

Nai Aung Naing, a one time General of the MNLA, left the party with a contingent of soldiers under his command in 2008, though has since entered a monastery and begun campaigning for a position in the 2010 election. Nai Shoung is a former NMLA colonel and now leads the “Rehmonnya” Mon splinter group. While Nai Shoung split from the NMSP in February 2009, his Rehmonnya has worked closely with the SPDC forces has even met with SPDC Southeast Command Maj. Gen. Thet Naing Win.

This ongoing campaign to meet and talk with Mon communities has taken General Secretary Nai Hongsa to Wai Zine, Gani and Hnit Kayot in Mon State, from the 7th to 12th of November. NMSP Chairman Nai Htaw Mon traveled to the Mon Thai-Burma border communities of Halockhanee, Three Pagoda Pass, and Paling Japan (Japanese well village) on November 22nd and 23rd.