Independent Mon News
Agency (IMNA)
Political negotiation can be distant, if Lt.
Gen. Khin Nyunt is no
longer a SPDC member
The Mon politicians
analyzed that the political negotiation in
After Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt was kicked out as a
top leader of SPDC and reshuffled as Prime Minister of the Cabinet, and so he
could no longer have power among hard-liners to convince them for political
negotiation and transition, said by the Mon politicians.
The reshuffle is just
cosmetic change and no real administrative change, because only the army top
brass holds the political power as before, said by the Mon Unity League’s
General Secretary and a Mon youth leader in the border.
“We can analyze since
1988. The regime has done many reshuffles. But we did not see any real change,
only the names have been changed from one to another. The rulers are not
changed and they are military commanders. The real political change must have
when there is an elected body rules the country accordingly to the desires of
the people. Now, I think, the situation could be more dangerous, because the
negotiable commander Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt has no more power among the majority SPDC leaders”,
said by MUL’s General Secretary.
A Mon
youth leader also added that, “No different people in the ruling body. In reality, the reshuffle did
remove all soft line commanders from important posts. This is the way of power
struggle in the regime. If you are only a Minister, you position is shakable
(or can be dismissed anytime). We can consider that when Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt became PM and no
longer as a SPDC member, he has no power and influence even like an ordinary
SPDC member. His government will be a puppet government. When there is no
flexible leader like Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, who led the negotiation, there would be difficulties
for meaningful negotiation and political reform”.
Another Mon veteran
political leader said, “the reshuffle and change in
the position of the government does not mean change in politics because we have
seen many times like this. Our neighboring countries praise for this change,
but for us we may have ‘wait and see’ what could happen in the future. I think
the regime tried to lie the world to get media
attention”.
The reshuffle occurs
after SPDC leaders returned from
The regime changed its
name from State Law and Order Restoration Council to the current name State
Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in 1997.