Yee Mon Explained

Honorific Prefix:His Excellency
Yee Mon
Office:Minister of Defense of National Unity Government of Myanmar
Native Name:ရည်မွန်
Native Name Lang:my
Appointer:Committee Representing Pyidaungsu Hluttaw
President:Duwa Lashi La (acting)
Preceded:Office established
Party:National League for Democracy
Profession:Politician, poet
Birth Date:9 August 1967
Birth Place:Maha Aungmye Township, Mandalay Region

Yee Mon (Burmese: ရည်မွန်; also known as Maung Tin Thit or Tin Thit; born 9 August 1967) is a Burmese poet, former political prisoner, and politician currently serving as Minister of Defense of National Unity Government of Myanmar.[1] [2]

He attended the University of Medicine, Mandalay in 1984. He participated in protests during the pro-democracy uprising of 1988, against the military junta that ruled Burma, and was imprisoned by the regime for seven years. Later, he worked as an environmental activist.

In the 2015 general election, Yee Mon successfully ran for Parliament with the National League for Democracy, in a district of Naypyidaw.[1] He received 27,321 votes, narrowly defeating U Wai Lwin, a powerful former military general and former defense minister.[1] His victory was viewed as a surprise, due to the large number of soldiers and police officers in the district, who were seen as more likely to favor an ex-general.

His discussion in the Myanmar Parliament to amend the National Constitution has been considered a notable step to peacefully remove the country's military from inappropriate political involvement and re-establish it as a proper professional army for national defense.[3]

Notes and References

  1. Thomas Fuller, A Poet's Election Victory Over a Former General Speaks of a New Myanmar, New York Times (November 14, 2015).
  2. Ei Ei Toe Lwin & Pyae Thet Phyom, Drama in NPT as commission rejects ex-minister's petition for vote recount, Myanmar Times (November 11, 2015).
  3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQ4x0wiHvZ0 U Yee Mon