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Monland Restoration Council Stateme



Subject: Monland Restoration Council Statement


STATEMENT ON THE 240TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALLING DAY OF THE MON KINGDOM
HONGSAWATOI

May 29, 1997 is an unforgettable day for the Mon people as it is the 240th
anniversary of the falling day of Mon kingdom Hongsawatoi. In the year
573,  two Mon brothers, Prince Samala and Prince Wimala, founded the Mon
kingdom Hongsawatoi at the present site of modern Pegu in lower Burma.
The Mon flourished in peace and prosperity for several centuries until it
was occupied by the Burman dynasty.  In 1757, the Burman ruler U Aungzeya
invaded and devastated the Mon Kingdom, killing tens of thousands of Mons,
including learned Mon priests, pregnant women, and children.  Following
that, the Mons were persecuted, oppressed and enslaved, and countless
people were burnt in ruthless holocausts, similar to the destruction of
Jews by the Nazis.

However, the current situation of Mon people has become worse and worse.
Under the current regimes-- State Law and Order Restoration Council
(SLORC)-- the military  uses ethnic cleaning policy to clean out diverse
ethnic groups, including Mon.  The SLORCUs troops committed serious human
rights violations such as such as rapes,  forced labor, and summary
executions of innocent civilians.  Since 1988, thousands of Mon people
have fled to Mon refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border to escape the
SLORCUs oppression in their homeland. However, Mon refugees camps in the
Thai-Burma borderline are unsecured.  On April 27, 1997,  two Mon refugee
camps in the Mergui area were burnt down by SLORCUs troops.

On this tragic day, the Mon people living in Burma and around the world
express our grief and regretfully mourn for our slaughtered ancestors.  On
the 240th anniversary of the falling day of our kingdom, we, members of
the Monland Restoration Council, on behalf of the silenced and suppressed
Mon peoples everywhere, strongly protest against the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) on front of its embassy in Washington, D.C.,
U.S.A.


We, the Executive Committee of the Monland Restoration urgently call for:

1.  SLORC to immediately to initiate a genuine political dialogue
comprised of elected representatives, and ethnic leaders, and the SLORCUs
representatives.

2.  A stop to the four-decade long civil war and  violations of human
rights of the Mon and other ethnic minorities;

3.  National self-determination for  the Mon and other ethnic
nationalities;

4.  Foreign companies to stop investment with the illegal military junta.



Central Committee
Monland Restoration Council

P.O.Box 50108
Fort Wayne, IN 46805
U.S.A
Tel: 219-471-3961