This dyad belongs to the conflict Myanmar (Burma): Mon
Summary of conflict Myanmar (Burma): Mon
The territorial conflict over the Mon region dates back to 1948, when Mon activist called for the establishment of an independent Mon state. The conflict was active 1949-1963 and then in 1990 and 1996. Several Mon groups have been active in the conflict, but in the late 1950s, many of them accepted the government’s offer of amnesty. The last active Mon group was formed in 1996 but was defeated by government forces the following year.
Background to the conflict
In colonial times, the territory that in 1948 was proclaimed as independent Burma was ruled through several different local arrangements as a province of British India. This contributed to the emergence of several different independent movements, which were divided ideologically, politically, and ethnically even before constitutional talks had begun.
A few Mon activists participated in the elections to the first Burmese Constitutional Assembly in 1947 but were narrowly defeated by Burmese nationalists among strong accusations of poll-rigging. Just four months before the independence, these activists participated in a Mon National Conference that called for the creation of a Mon state and the right of self-determination.
Armed conflict in 1949-1963
The Mon leadership made an alliance with leaders of the ethnic Karen as communal violence became increasingly common in 1948 and started forming armed militias. Both the Karen and the Mon militias were declared illegal by the end of the year and the Karen-Mon forces attacked government and pro-government paramilitaries in February 1949. During the first decade of the Mon conflict, the military situation was extremely complex as several organisations as well as bandits and other armed gangs were active.
It seemed like the Mon groups had unified by the mid-1950s when the government offered an arms-for-peace amnesty. In July 1958, all the senior Mon leaders accepted the government offer with over a thousand troops. Only Nai Shwe Kyin rejected the deal and formed NMSP (New Mon State Party), which joined a military alliance with Karen, Karenni, Chin & communists a year later.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the NMSP were weakened due to in-fighting as the organization split at several occasions. Even though the group remained active in opposition to the government, it mainly supported the more powerful Karen insurgents in its operations.
In 1983, NMSP joined the opposition alliance NDF (National Democratic Front), and it participated in the formation of DAB (Democratic Alliance of Burma) after the student democracy movement was crushed in 1988. The Mon armed struggle was supported by a group of the ABSDF (All-Burma Students Democratic Front) until 1990, even though the political contacts with the students remained.
Government offensive in 1990
In 1974, the Burmese government created the ethnic Mon State to appease the group, but NMSP (New Mon State Party) claimed that another five districts should have been incorporated into it. Following a sudden government offensive in January 1990, NMSP were forced to abandon its headquarters and the control over trade on the Thai border. The Thai government were becomingly increasingly concerned about the situation on the border, both because of the amount of Mon refugees in Thailand and the difficulty in developing business interests in Mon state. It encouraged NMSP to enter negotiations with the Myanmar government, while Myanmar troops were not prevented from attacking NMSP bases on Thai territory. Talks begun in late 1993 and NMSP signed a ceasefire in June 1995 allowing it to retain control of some territory of Mon State bordering Thailand.
The last active Mon group is defeated in 1997
A faction of NMSP (New Mon State Party) rejected the agreement and accused the leadership of selling out the struggle. This faction subsequently formed BMA (Beik Mon Army) that launched attacks on both government forces and NMSP in 1996 and early 1997. After the military launched a large-scale offensive with the logistical support of NMSP, the BMA camp was overrun in April, and the group ceased to exist after a “guns-for-peace”-ceremony in June 1997.
NMSP is still an active political part of the anti-government alliance, but the ceasefire and substantial economic development in the region has led to a decrease of fighting. Several smaller factions have in recent years occasionally attacked government forces but not to the extent that any of them reached the threshold of 25 dead in a year.
The Mon minority led by NMSP participated in the National Convention to write a new constitution during 2003-2004. Following unsuccessful requests by the government that NMSP should disarm in 2005, the organisation announced its withdrawal from the Convention when it reopened on 5 December 2005. NMSP claimed that the Convention process did not take into account any suggestions from the ethnic minorities and several other Mon political groups praised NMSP decision to withdraw.
