Public unite behind New Mon State Party

Sudden death of beloved Mon entertainer, Mon Chit Soe

Public unite behind New Mon State Party

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Sudden death of beloved Mon entertainer, Mon Chit Soe

(Kaowao: March 18, 2007)



Ye - The number one most popular Mon entertainer, Mon Chit Soe, 38,
suddenly died soon after he was sent for treatment in a Rangoon
hospital.



The cause of his death is still unclear and relatives and fans are
awaiting news from the doctor's medical record. He died around 1:00
pm local time on March 15, 2007.



Mon Chit Soe (aka) Nai Soe Tin, the owner of two Dance Troupes was
strongly in touch with the Mon community who appreciated his creative
performances in southern Burma over the past 15 years. He became very
popular and had not only attracted Mon fans but also Burmese. His
dance troupe is one of the biggest entertainment groups in southern
Burma.



"Everybody is absolutely stunned. How can he die, I can't believe it!
His last performance was recently at the funeral of Rev. Uttama. Many
fans and even the older people enjoyed his show. He was a role model
and a first class entertainer," said Nai Tin Mon, a community leader
of Waengka Mon village, Thai-Burma border.



Mon Chit Soe, from Taung Bon of Northern Ye, was talented in dancing,
singing, and acting. He worked tirelessly to develop the modern Mon
Dance Troupe that he started fifteen years ago. He even was invited
to perform in Thailand and a fundraising event at Maharchai brought in
2 million baht for local temple.



Last year, Ye township police charged him after his truck caused an
accident that killed two of his dancers in early December while his
vehicle loading the group crossing the bridge between Hnit-kayin and
Anin suddenly lost control. While feeling guilt over being responsible
for their deaths, he negotiated with the local authorities to close
the case spending several million Kyats to settle the lawsuit.



"I cannot get my head around the fact that he is not with us anymore,
we will hugely miss him for his service to the Mons. He had a sense
of culture and history that was seen in his choreography earning him a
reputation of being the best. He designed the Mon show with flair and
imagination using modern styles and expensive equipment.



"He was a larger than life character, he wasn't afraid to try
something new and mix it with the traditions of Mon culture," said
Cham Ong, a fan.



Than Oo, a boyhood friend from his village, Taung Bon, recalls fondly,
"I saw him when he was a young boy moving about on stage, to perform
at the village festival. He was just 38-years-old and it is a loss
for us. He will be remembered for the joy he brought them and for his
passion."



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Public unite with New Mon State Party

(Kaowao: March 19, 2007)



The Mon population has united with the NMSP to fight for their
national rights.



During an interview with a Kaowao reporter, Nai Htow Mon spoke
modestly about the grass root communities' movement that is concerned
over pressure NMSP has received by the State Peace and Development
Council to lay down their arms. The Mon population has grown
disillusioned with the SPDC's National Convention and its objective to
disarm the cease-fire groups outright without reciprocal concessions.



The 61-year-old NMSP President said that the NMSP continues to observe
its cease-fire policy according to what was agreed to in 1995, while
calling on the government to hasten democratic development to solve
the political crisis through a 3-party-dialogue; meanwhile, he listens
carefully to what the public wants saying that everyone has the
responsibility to promote freedom in their country.



According to the NMSP source, the majority of Mon want the NMSP to
retain its arms until such a time that country is well on its way down
the path of freedom and that the SPDC ceases from being a threat to
their people who have suffered so much.



The NMSP is one of the strongest ethnic ceasefire groups and
occasionally speaks out in support of an open dialogue with the
military regime. It also supports the UN Security Council decision to
include Burma in the Security Council discussion to press for
democratic reform. The NMSP's statement was well supported by the
communities including overseas Mons who had publicly criticized the
views of the party after it reached a cease-fire with the ruling
Burmese junta in 1995.



Established by Nai Shwe Kyin in 1958, the NMSP is the only major
political party with a military wing, the Mon National Liberation
Army, which has fought against the regime for almost five decades.



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