A deeply divided Mon Unity Party (MUP) has accepted by a majority vote to work with the military -created State Administration Council set up by the February 1st coup. This has caused consternation among many MUP members, supporters and the Mon youth sector.
So far the majority of the ethnic parties have rejected the army‘s strategy of dividing the ethnic leaders from the nationwide protest movement calling for the immediate restoration of democracy and the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and all the other political detainees. The majority decision of the Mon Party’s CEC (executive council) was made at an emergency meeting on February 6th.
Dr. Aung Naing Oo, a member of the CEC of the MUP said: “On that day there were huge disagreements over it. More than 30 CEC members attended the meeting. More than ten CEC members rejected it, while 26 members gave “Yes” votes and two members gave “abstention” votes. I am on the side of “No” vote.” Many MUP members have resigned in protest."
Some CEC members pointed out that the acceptance of the offer by the military government violates basic party principles.
“I argued on the NO side” added Dr. Aung Naing Oo and argued the key point was party principles were being sacrificed by CEC members willing to accept the military coup adding “The party’s basic principle shall not encourage dictatorship and supremacy. I am also concerned about the disunity of the party, as the party is a recently -merged party. There are many repercussions in the party over this decision. I pointed out that the party should not make decisions in a hasty manner and should hold discussions with the committee members.” he added. Some party members who rejected the party’s decision are submitting their resignation letters.
Naing La Yi Tama, Joint-Secretary-1 of the MUP said: “According to the experiences throughout history, we walked along the confrontation path in building up the federal democracy. Take a look at the record of the confrontation path. The ethnic people lost many lives. We have not received any political results yet. That is why the confrontation path to reach the federal union aspired by everybody is not beneficial to the public. We have chosen the path of discussion rather than the path of confrontation.”
Like the MUP, other ethic parties received offers to be included in the State Administration Council. The Kachin KSPP is one of the few that have adopted a pragmatic position towards the new regime. While individuals from ethnic parties have also accepted to join the coup-makers State Administration Council, they have been strongly condemned by their parties and by the public.
