Mudon, July (16)
The troops of New Mon State Party and the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA) are conducting security patrols in villages and roads in three townships in Mon State, said locals.
Since the second week of July, they have been carrying out security patrols in some villages in the south of Mudon Township and along the Mudon-Thanbyuzayet road around Nyaungpinkon village in military uniforms.
In addition, Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA) troops have been patrolling near Khawza in Ye Township over the past three months, the stronghold of resistance forces.
Meanwhile, security guards were also deployed around Ahnin and Weikalaung villages in Thanbyuzayet Township, according to local sources.
According to a local Mon citizen, the New Mon State Party seemed to have negotiated with both the military council and the revolutionary forces to assure the safety of the people.
The NMSP, which has vowed to solve the political problem only through political means, has drawn criticism from the Mon people because it conducts security patrols in areas where there is no conflict.
Thiri Mon Chan, the chairman of the Political and Military Leading Committee of the Mon State Defense Force (MSDF), considered that the NMSP is being criticized for not being able to protect the Mon people, so it is only a movement to restore political and military integrity in terms of public relations strategy.
Furthermore, he stated that the New Mon State Party is avoiding conflict areas and conducting security operations in order to keep regime forces and revolutionary forces from engaging.
Than Lwin Times tried to reach the Mon National Liberation Army (MNLA), the armed wing of NMSP, by phone regarding security patrols, but no response was received.
The New Mon State Party has engaged in six rounds of peace talks with the military council, either itself or in collaboration with other NCA-signatory ethnic organizations, in more than two years of military coup.
News-Than Lwin Times
Photo-Moe Kyaw Thu
Thanlwintimes