EQUALITY FIRST PRIORITY: MON STATE CONSTITUTION

Equality tops the list in Mon State Constitution

By-Bop Htaw

14 October, 2003 Bangkok-Equality is a core principle drafted in the Mon State Constitution, which was discussed this week at the Thai-Burma border chaired by senior members of New Mon State Party.

The Committee for drafting the Mon State Constitution sat for the two-day workshop for a third reading session; the draft paper will be released to Mon public before the end of the year. Members of the Committee comprised of New Mon State Party, Mon National Democratic Front, and Mon Unity League, each had three representatives. Representatives of MNDF were unable to attend the workshop due to security reasons on the border areas.

"Equality to other non-Mon native people in the territory is to be guaranteed in the constitution," said Nai Hongsa, chairman of the committee. "We are unable to build peace and prosperity in our land if we fail to guarantee equality to all," he added in his opening address to the session.

According to a media release issued by the Committee, each native person in the Territory is urged to be actively involved in political life in their respected areas and is urged to represent their own representatives in the local State Parliament. Regardless of the size of population and geography, the native people should feel free to exercise all their rights to govern their own population either under autonomy or a local administrative council based on the will of the entire population in the surrounding area.

The State Constitution is firmly linked to "Federal Principles" and members of the committee strongly focused on the issue of power sharing between the State and Federal governments. However, the committee seriously debated on the draft constitution, which is based on the political context of the country.

"Regardless of their race and color, we ought to respect every citizen in our state," Nai Hongsa said. "There are Mon, Burman, Pa-o, Karen and Tavoyan who live in the territory, including Chinese and Indian descents", said the chairman.

The draft constitution contains nineteen chapters with seventy-five articles. Members of Mon political organizations have struggled over the last two years while they have limited knowledge on the constitutional affairs, but the paper is finished for the State Constitution Seminar later to be held this month.

Each State has prepared its draft constitution with the support of National Reconciliation Program (NRP) based in Thailand in order to strengthen the principle of federalism and democratic change in Burma.