After the Burmese government, led by Prime Minister Thein Sein, announced the amendment of political party registration and election laws, the Vice-President of the Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF), Nai Ngwe Thein, told IMNA that his party will consider re-registering as a political party under the 2008 Constitution.
He confirms that the MNDF will review the outcomes of the discussions of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s political party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), which will be held by tomorrow.
“Just recently we heard that the political party registration laws have been amended. We need to review the opinions of the NLD and other ethnic parties. It is a bit early to decide at the moment,” added Nai Ngwe Thein.
The Union Parliament officially announced amendments to Burma’s party registration laws on 4 November 2011, including the removal of some restrictions that made it difficult for pro-democracy opposition groups to legally register as political parties.
Nai Ngwe Thein also said, “Our political principle in the beginning was that we do not accept the 2008 Constitution. The NLD has the same principle. But now, the NLD is reconsidering that principle. We also need discuss this issue with our brotherhood of ethnic political parties. Only when our party is registered can we have political activities legally. Therefore, we need to re-think many things.”
Members of the Executive Committee of the MNDF held a meeting on 29 October and decided if the Burmese government amends the party registration laws, they would consider re-registering their party under the 2008 Constitution.
“If the MNDF registers, there will be two [Mon] political parties. In the coming elections, voters will be confused about which party they should vote for,” said Mehm Seik Rot, a Mon youth leader.
Currently, only one Mon political party, the All Mon Regions Democratic Party (AMRDP), holds seats in both the State Parliament and Union Parliament after winning seats in the 2010 elections based on the 2008 Constitution. MNDF declined to register their party to contest in the 2010 elections, citing concerns that the 2008 Constitution was militarized, and unfairly allowed 25% of parliamentary seats for military representatives from the Burmese Army.
MNDF was formerly a legally registered political party, which won five seats after contesting in the 1990 elections. However, the former military regime declined to transfer power. The party was abolished in 1992, and has been largely inactive since then.
