A splinter group of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), one of Myanmar’s oldest political parties, called the NMSP-Anti Dictatorship refused to reunite earlier this month. It announced its split from the NMSP and that it had joined forces with the resistance to the 2021 military coup in February.

TRANSCRIPT—What’s happening in Myanmar’s southeastern Mon State is worth your attention.

A splinter group of the New Mon State Party called the NMSP-Anti-Dictatorship, or NMSP-AD, stated that it has met with civil society. 

It wanted to clarify its political and military objectives.

More than 180 representatives attended the meeting on June 19. 

NMSP-AD spokesperson Naing Banyar Mon said that, most importantly, they wanted to listen to the voices of the Mon people. 

The NMSP-AD announced its split from the NMSP, one of Myanmar’s oldest political parties, on Feb. 14.  

Its chairperson is Naing Hong Sar. Its armed wing is known as the Mon National Liberation Army. Several senior NMSP-MNLA members joined the NMSP-AD.

Following the 2021 military coup, the NMSP-MNLA decided not to join the resistance. It continued to respect the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement it signed with the military in 2018. 

NMSP members met with military regime leader Min Aung Hlaing in 2022 to discuss a separate constitution for Mon State. The two sides have met more than five times.

Earlier this month, the NMSP stated that the NMSP-AD rejected an attempt to reunite the two factions.

The NMSP-AD has called on all Mon people to help build a federal democratic union.

It has joined forces with other resistance groups, including the National Unity Government – Myanmar’s civilian alternative to military rule.