Khitar Non – People from the Mon ethnicity gathered inside Burma, and the countries where they have resettled, during the 66th Mon Revolution Day, on Aug. 21. Mon Revolution Day started after a group of about 20 youths spearheaded a revolt against the government on the fifth month of the Mon/Burmese lunar calendar in 1948.
“Mon youth didn’t have guns. So the youth from the Bo Thein group broke into a police station in Sar Tha Pyin village with a hired rifle and one pistol. And, that is how we collected weapons,” said Nai Ngwe Thein, from Mon Democracy Party (MDP), who was involved from onset of the revolution.
The youth used the guns they took from the police station to secure territory. They took over villages near Jain River, and with the help of Karen National Defense Organization (KNDO), they also took Thaton town and Moulmein.
A ceremony was held in the Japan Well village, in New Mon State Party’s (NMSP) controlled area, Three Pagodas Pass Township (TPP). In the morning twenty one shots fired into the air by the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA) to open it.
MNLA battalion 5 Commander Banyar Chan Non read a statement that called for the drawing of a “new constitution” that would allow the formation of “a federal union system that includes Barma State”. The commander also discussed the upcoming Mon National Seminar planned for late September, and a Mon National Congress scheduled towards the end of the year. Mon civil society organizations and prominent Mon experts and scholars will take part in both events intended to strengthen Mon ethnic nationality’s politics.
In other parts of Mon state more than 3000 people visited the tombs of late Mon Revolution leaders Naing Aung Htun, Nai Non Lar, Nai Poe Sein, Nai Chan Mon, and Nai Thein Maung. Speeches were provided by Nai Tala Nye, from NMSP, Nai Ngwe Thein, from Mon Democracy Party (MDP) and Nai Ngwe Thein, from All Mon Region Democracy Party (AMDP). The graves of Nai Shwe-kyin, Nai Htin, and Nai Rotsa at Win Sein Taw Ya temple were also visited.
