The demonstrators demanded the selection of a Mon national while marching from Yamanya jetty to the NLD office for Mon State on Strand Road in Mawlamyine.

“We have the executive committee representing the people in our township. It selected a candidate for the by-election,” said protester San Khin. “One candidate got 14 votes, the second got eight votes and the third received seven votes. Then the list was submitted to the state committee. We expected the winner to be named the candidate but it was the one who came second.”

He said the NLD should represent its members’ wishes not those of its executive committee.

Ngwe Myint, secretary of Mon State NLD, defended the decision saying that the protesters might not understand the party’s policies.

“Chaungzone Township submitted three nominees. The district and state-level offices had to give their remarks. The candidate was chosen at the central level. The protest might have an impact on the election. They might have not understood our party’s policies very well. We will clarify matters to them,” said the secretary.

NLD’s Central Executive Committee said that the candidate proposed by Chaungzone Township lost in the election on November 8 last year.

It said it was the NLD’s policy that a candidate who lost an election would not have another chance.