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Statement on the 240th Anniversary



Subject: Statement on the 240th Anniversary of the fall of Mon Kingdom hongsawatoi

STATEMENT ON THE 240TH ANNIVERSARY OF 
THE FALL OF MON KINGDOM HONGSAVATOI

Dear Mon people
And all friends in the struggle for Freedom and Democracy,

Burma still has a serious condition of human rights violations despite its
cosmetic gesture.  The Mon National Organization of Canada has released
this statement on the occasion of the 240th Anniversary of The Fall of Mon
Kingdom to express our grave concern for the Mon people and the present
situation in Burma.


Going back to the past, the Mon kingdom had flourished in peace and
prosperity for several centuries in the lower part of Burma.  In 1757, the
Burmese King U Aung Zeya annexed the Mon Kingdom Hongsavatoi and
persecuted its people.  Over three thousand learned Buddhist monks were
massacred, the holy scriptures and monasteries were burned and the last
kingdom was devastated.  Tens of thousands of Mons including children and
pregnant women were killed at the time and many Mons fled to Thailand to
escape further oppression, persecution and enslavement.


The whole of were killed across the country.  The same military regime,
namely State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) took over the
country in a staged coup and Burma again was under one of the most
suppressive regimes the world has ever seen.

In order to maintain its illegal power, the SLORC has systematically
divided the democratic forces and ethnic nationalities.  Separate
cease-fire agreements with some ethnic armed forces were reached without
political solution.  SLORC has expanded military control into these areas
and depleted the national resources of the indigenous peoples.  As a
result, the cease-fire agreements of the SLORC with the Karenni National
Progressive Party (KNPP) and the Mergui Division of New Mon State Party
(NMSP) broke down in the past year.

The refusal of SLORC to resolve the questions of the rights of the
nationalities and democratic freedom has raised tensions and worsened the
situation day by day.  Burma still lacks peace and stability.  Military
over spending, centralization and corruption have weakened the economy and
most social services have collapsed.  Wide spread arrest, torture,
disappearance, forced labour, forced portering and forced relocation still
continue and no freedom of expression and opinion exist.  To avoid the
deteriorating economy and suppression under the military regime, an influx
of Burmese have fled to the border and neighbouring countries every day as
displaced persons, refugees and illegal immigrants.

By noting all serious situations and supporting the agreement of Ethnic
Nationalities Seminar (Mae Tha Raw Hta) which was supported by all ethnic
representatives from various groups, the Mon National Organization of
Canada countries to recommend the international community take the
following action on this tragic day of The 240th Anniversary of the Fall
of Mon Kingdom Hongsavatoi.

The action includes to:

1.	Call a tripartite dialogue comprised of the ethnic nationalities,
democratic forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the SLORC.

2. Stop military operations against the ethnic nationalities and
conscription of forced	labor, forced portering and forced relocation. 

3. 	Release all political prisoners unconditionally.

4.	Permit international human rights observers and the United Nations
access to all 	prisons, detention centers and the ethnic areas in Burma.

5.	Boycott companies doing business with the military regime and stop
building the gas pipeline in Monland.
6.	Postpone the acceptance of Burma as a member of the Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

7.  	Pass a UN resolution for trade sanctions on Burma.


May 29, 1997
Mon National Organization of Canada

Suite 142-6416 Fraser Street
Vancouver, BC V5W 3A4
Canada