INDEPENDENCE MON NEWS AGENCY (IMNA)

MARCH 7, 2003

BREAKING NEWS: NMSP President Nai Shwe Kyin Passes Away

On March 7, 2003, midnight about 1:00 a.m. time in Burma, 94 years old Mon leader Nai Shwe Kyin passes away accordingly to NMSP office in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State.

Nai Shwe Kyin born on March 1, 1908 in Pae-ka-dar village, Pa-an Township and attend Rangoon Arts and Science University in Rangoon and completed a Degree.

In 1945, Nai Shwe Kyin involved in the Mon national liberation politics since he was young and he was imprisoned after Burma retained Independence from British in 1948 for his struggle for the rights of the Mon people to have full rights of self-determination and equal racial rights. Before Independence, he found ‘Mon Freedom League’ and have requested the rights for the Mon people from Burman leaders.

Civil war broke out on the eve of Independence and he was put in prison for two years. After his release, he went into jungle and joined hand in Mon armed revolutionary, under the leadership of Mon People Front (MPF).

After 10 years armed struggle, MPF surrendered their arms to Rangoon government in 1958 to participate in elections as legal political party. Nai Shwe Kyin did not join in surrendering and then he found New Mon State Party to continue armed struggle.

In the hard situation revolutionary, NMSP grew gradually after many young Mons and students from Universities joined the party. Then he could reform NMSP as a main Mon armed revolutionary political party.

In 1990, he became the President of National Democratic Front (NDF), an umbrella political organization of ethnic nationalities.

In 1995, New Mon State Party agreed for ceasefire with the current regime. Later 1999, because of his old age, his health conditions became worst. He had to receive the regular medical check from medical specialists.

He married Daw Kyi and has only one son.