Moulmein, March 11, 2003 -- Over thirty thousand mourners attended the funeral of Mon national leader Nai Shwe Kyin, held at the capital of Mon State in southern Burma.

The cremation of the New Mon State Party’s President took place at Pein NeaKone Cemetery at 1 p.m, presided over by the Mon Army dressed in full uniform as a final tribute, observed by party members, relatives, monks and thousands of mourners.

Dressed in bright red and white Mon national dress, thousands lined up along the road from Myaing ThaYar, the new satellite town, to PeinNea Kone Cemetery to pay their respects.

“I wish Ajar Nhog could see this huge crowd,” said Aye Mon, a liaison officer of the New Mon State Party. The Mons called Nai Shwe Kyin as ‘Ajar Nhog” in respect, which means Great Teacher.

A Buddhist monk from Tong PaRang, Ye, so proud to be part of the last journey of Ajar Nhog, said he has never seen such a huge gathering. “Seeing thousands of people dressed in Mon national colors to see off a great leader was a beautiful site to see, the people looked like waves rolling across the ocean”.

The NMSP leaders expected that not more than a thousand people including party members would attend the funeral service. But, surprisingly, roads at the capital city of Mon State were soon overflowing with well over 30,000 Mon supporters on foot and over 1,000 vehicles, many could be seen on motorcycles to bypass the traffic.

“We saw all the people of Monland: Buddhists monks and laymen, young men and women, students, and all the politicians in the country meeting in one place”, said Nai Sunthorn, General Secretary of the Mon Unity League.

“I was so happy to see all the people, after driving such a long way,” said Nai Wong Sa, Chairman of Mon Relief and Development Committee, who drove to Moulmein from Sangkhlaburi, at the Thai-Burma border.

“Local people were so impressed when they saw the Mon troops guiding the procession along”, observed a young novice in Moulmein. He oversaw the Mon soldiers in full uniform that accompanied the body of late President together with several leaders from the political, ethnic national organizations and supporters of the Mon national movement. Over two hundred Buddhist monks chanted in Pali during the funeral service under Buddhist customs and Mon tradition.

According to DVB radio, the streets in Moulmein were closed due to the congestion. The SPDC’s intelligence officers shadowed the funeral procession but they did not interfere with the mourners.