The two primary political parties representing Mon people say they will not participate in Burma’s 2010 elections, in spite of recent reports indicating that international observers will be invited to monitor the process.
Monitoring is not likely to make the elections free and fair, spokesmen for the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF) told IMNA, nor will it resolve underlying problems with country’s constitution.
Few details on the monitoring have been publicized, raising questions about the extent of any monitors’ mandate. To date, Burma’s State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) government has made no official public statement; save for a few paragraphs in the Bangkok Post on March 1st and a follow-up story by the Irrawaddy the next day, the story has received little to no international coverage.
According to the Bangkok Post, Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein recently told Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva that Burma would welcome observation by UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari, UN staff and other western observers. The Post based its story on a statement by Thailand’s deputy government spokesman Suphachai Jaisamut.
Nai Ong Mange, NMSP party spokesman, cautioned that the UN has made no official announcement regarding monitoring, let alone provided details about how, where and what monitors would be allowed to observe. “The UN has not officially announced how they will observe the 2010 election,” Nai Ong Mange told IMNA. The NMSP is the largest Mon political party and has officially controlled a small amount of territory in Mon State since agreeing to a ceasefire with the SPDC in 1995.
“If the UN monitors, it will only be able to do and see what the SPDC says to do and see,” continued Nai Ong Mange. “They will not come to the ethnic areas – they will not make the election free and fair.”
Media, human rights and democracy groups have widely reported poll tampering during a constitutional referendum held in May 2008. Reported abuses – particularly in primarily ethnic rural areas – include voter intimidation, pre-filled ballots and result fabrication. Official figures, meanwhile, say the country’s new constitution was confirmed by a vote of more than 90%.
“Although UN Monitors might join the election now… they can do nothing,” agreed MNDF spokesman Nai Hong Dein. The MNDF is another respected Mon political party, which won 5 seats in Burma’s later-annulled 1990 elections.
“The SPDC will not change, they will not review the constitution,” explained Nai Hong Dein. “The constitution is not for the ethnic nationalities; it is for strengthening the SPDC. Although there may be monitors, we will not participate. Even if they monitor, Burma will not become a democratic country. It will not become a federal country.
Both the NMSP and MNDF have announced that their refusal to participate in the 2010 election is primarily predicated on opposition to Burma’s constitution. According to the groups, the constitution provides insufficient protection for ethnic minorities and is too difficult to amend.
Nai Ong Mange also highlighted the SPDC’s continued failure to provide details on how the election will be conducted. Details explaining how political parties can be officially formed have not been released, he said, nor have rules explaining how poll stations and voting areas will be allocated. Indeed, though rumors indicate that the election is tentatively scheduled for March 2010, there has been no official SPDC statement.
In the past, at least one Mon politician interviewed by IMNA has criticized the lack of clarity regarding election rules as a deliberate strategy to weaken opposition parties.
But though both the MNDF and NMSP appear firm in their refusal to join the election, both spokesmen said their parties would not oppose the formation of political parties by other Mon groups. “If the NMSP and MNDF don’t join, a Mon political party will appear,” said Nai Hong Dein. “I won’t say that this political party is good or bad.”
“If a 3rd party appears… the NMSP will not bother this party. They can do what they want to do. If the people and monks support them, it is good and they have a right to participate,” agreed Nai Ong Mange.
The NMSP stance appears to mirror that of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), which will require KIO members to leave the party if they contest the election. “If an NMSP member wants to form a political party, they can go – it is their choice,” said Nai Ong Mange. “But the NMSP will not back these members. We will not support them and we will not bother them. But they will have to leave the party – they cannot use the NMSP name.”
