Recent Troubling Events in the "Saf

[Mrcorg@xxxxxxx]

Subject: Re: Recent Troubling Events in the "Safe Area" 

OVERSEAS MON NATIONAL STUDENTS ORGANIZATION

The interim Statement for the Fight Between the Mon and Burman.
                            24th November 1999.
    in the evening at 7 PM on the 24th of October 1999, a teacher of Mon
School, Nai Bala was listening the phone call from a Mon Student together
with his friend at a Thai grocer also a teashop in native Mon language in
front of the Maneeloi Students Centre, Ratchaburi, Thailand. After making a
phone call when they told about that by Mon language to each other, a
Burman student from a group of Burman students called San Shar told to the
two Mon students making a phone call not to speak Mon language before them.
When a Mon student, Nai Bala, a teacher of Mon School, humbly told to the
Burman, a trouble maker, "he can not speak Burmese, he can speak only Mon,"
a Burman called San Shar took it as an offence and suddenly punched Nai
BaLa fast and also punched to each other. a nearby grocer owner stopped the
fight. Because of the Burman, San shar could not control his mind, he
further punched Nai BaLa again and faught with each other. A Thai shop
owner and others stopped the fight again.
    After that Nai BaLa and his friend walked towards the camp, unexpectedly
San Shar ran and came to punch Nai BaLa fast again and faught with each
other. Nai bala was punched by him for three four time the other people
have stopped the fight and Nai bala and his friend return to his room. then
Nai bala and his friend reported to the Mon and returned to Burmans who
punched him again and again for re fighting. While some for mon students
were facing for the fight with some Burman students, because of the another
one group of Burman falsely agitated by loudspeaker," The Mons have devided
the Nationality; All Burmans come on to the fight, the violence has been
grown up to the confusion.
    At the night Of 24th of October 1999,when the violence between the Mon and
Burman broke out, many Burmans flocked to hit some Mon students houses; the
victim of house hitting has never been involved in the violence; the
hitting of the Mon house were just a way of repression; especially they
marched to the 3(b)lady living Centre and rushed the Mon ladies by force.
    During the violence, the bed, and books and cloths by some Mon students in
UN-7 building were set on fire inculding loss of 3500 Baht. Meanwhile the
nearly 50 of Burmans march to Mon School and some Burman antagonists began
to systematically destroy the Mon School with no meaning just oppression
towards Mon people.
    After the fight, when two Mon students named Zaw mine(Banyaemon)and Kao
Htaw were speaking with Phra Nai San Daw, abbot of Mon temple, the Burmans
with various weapons came to call them for only asking something about that
fighting. But on the way some of Burmans with weapons called Kao Htaw, a
Mon student, by force and beat him with a stick. Then the Burmans tortured
him to take a signature as an accused and sent him falsely to the police
station. Meanwhile some Burmans with various weapons called Zaw Maine
(Banyaemon) by force and he was beaten with a stick to his face by a Burman
and was stabbed his back with a long knife by Burmans seriously. Because of
that he ran to a Mon home for preventing his life and then he was sent to
Ratchburi hospital at the night of (24/10/99).The Burmese Students
Association (BSA) did not cahrge to the Burmans who beat and stabbed to Zaw
Maine until today. However, now he, Zaw Maine, a Mon student, was wrongly
charged by the BSA still at police station.
    In the early morning of 25th of October 1999, a day following the
violence, many Burmans holding knife, axe, piece of wood also stick and
bamboo came and forcibly took the Mons to BSA office, where they were
locked up and mistreated during the interrogation. The way of mistreatments
were locked up and mistreatments were such as burning with cigaretteefire
and beating while in blindfolding; non speaking Mon language under the
signboard of Burmese Students Centre which was written by Burmese.
Especially four of our members, Mon student political activists named Mehm
Achit, Soe Aung (Neegroe), Zaw One, jorndak were falsely accused among
torturing and handed over to Thai police by BAS high-handedly.
    Then they banned the head teacher of Mon School to report about that event
including the destroying Mon School to COERR office. After the violence, in
family (1) building which only three of Mon families were staying among the
Burmans, the Burmans claimed loudly, "Don't speak Mon and speak Burmese
only in this quarter", because of that three of Mon families have spoken
Burmese difficulty for avoiding the next fight.
    On (28/10/99), Mr. Wattana, a Thai deputy minister for interior, was
warmly welcomed by the Mon lady students in traditional costumes.
    In conclusion, at present, we, Overseas Mon National Students Organization
(OMNSO) strongly decided to face the problem at tribunal to be justice for
our Mon students who have been falsely charged by the Burmese Students
Association (BSA) and deeply feel that looking the way of above mentioned
mistreatments, the Burman students are still pursuing and conforming the
policy of chauvinism.
    Therefore, we, members of Overseas Mon national Students Organization
(OMNSO) decisively demand to the Burman students to stop the pursuing and
conforming the policy of chauvinism.


            Central Executive Committee
        Overseas Mon National Students Organization
            (OMNSO), Thailand.