INDEPENDENT MON NEWS AGENCY (IMNA)

Fortnightly News Update

February 17, 2003

[email protected]

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Contents:

Editorial: Welcome the Mon National Day

News:

  • Mon National Day cerebrates in Mon State
  • NMSP expresses its concern in MND
  • Gas pipeline wrecked near Lamine village, Mon State
  • Ven. Uttama offers prizes who passes high grades in Buddhist Scripture Exam

Media Release:

  • Media release by NMSP after its 5th Congress

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Editorial:

Welcome the Mon National Day

February 17 is the 56th Anniversary of Mon National Day and many Mon people in Monland and around the world cerebrate this important day.

This day is recognized the establishment day of Mon kingdom since 1000 years ago and it also makes remembrance to the Mon people about they have exercised the rights to ‘self-determination’ in their old days. Once, the Mon people belonged a high civilization in the Southeast Asia after they received ‘Buddhism’ from India.

Since about 250 years, the Mon country, Hongsawatoi, was occupied by the Burmese king, and since then the Mon people lost all of their rights and their lands. Even currently, SPDC and the Burmese Army still take the lands from Mon farmers as they liked.

Most Mon people who attend the Mon National Day know their duties to retain their national rights and their lands to upgrade their literature, culture and to keep their national identity.

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News:

Mon National Day cerebrates in Mon State

The majority Mon people in Burma and in Thailand, and around the world cerebrates the Mon National Day on February 17, 2003.

In Mon State, the Mon people hold the Mon National Day in several Townships, including Ye, Thanbyuzayat, Mudon, Kyaikayaw, Chaung-zon, Moulmein, Paung, and some Townships in Karen State also hold the Mon National Day.

Many Townships in Mon State and Karen State also agreed to form a central cerebrating committee with representatives from all Townships and they agreed to hold the Mon National Day in Moulmein. They hold the important ceremony in Mon ‘Dhamma’ building, which is situating in the downtown of Moulmein.

“In Moulmein, as the government built many buildings in football field near our Dhamma Building, we could not get any field nearby to hold the cerebration. Anyhow, we hold in the compound of this Building and the Mon representatives from the whole Mon State and from some Townships in Karen State” said a member of cerebrating committee in an interview with IMNA.

Most slogans in the MND in Mon State are: to protect Mon literature and culture, to maintain the Mon identity and to build unity among the Mon people. Most Mon leaders express to the crowds to speak each other in Mon language, to learn how to read and write Mon language, and practice accordingly Mon traditions and cultures. Under the assimilation policy of the regime, the Mon leaders have a big concern in the protection of Mon identity.

Since last year, the authorities in Rangoon has not allowed the Mon community in the capital to cerebrate the Mon National Day in any stadium or football field. They instructed to the Mon leaders in Rangoon that the celebration of Mon National Day is legal in Mon State, but not in other parts of Burma.

According to a Mon, who attended the MND ceremony in Mudon Town said that, ‘SPDC’s military intelligent also closely watch the activities in MND and translated the speeches given by Mon leaders from the stages. However, no arrest or other disturbance was made.

 

NMSP expresses its concern in MND

In a long statement issued by NMSP, it expresses about the worst condition of Mon people including the effects by SPDC’s land confiscation and military deployment in Mon State.

NMSP also issued a long statement related to the current situation of the Mon people and ask for the political talk with the regime. In the statement, it said that the Mon people have lost their political, fundamental rights and human rights and the condition is worst. It also expresses concern about SPDC’s land confiscation in Mon State and troop deployments close to NMSP bases.

It again explains NMSP is agreeing for ceasefire with the regime because it requires the political talks and to settle the political problems by means of politics. However, it said ‘no dialogue door’ is opened by the regime.

While the general Mon population in Mon State are celebrating the Mon National Day ceremony under the close surveillance by MIs, NMSP General Headquarters and its Districts hold the MND ceremony in its liberated areas with MNLA military parades.

With the coordination of Tavoy District, NMSP GHQs holds the ceremony in Wae-baing, a village in northern part of Ye Township and near 10000 population from the villages in various part of Ye Township attended the ceremony. Vice-chairman, Nai Htin and General Secretary, Nai Rot Sa, attended the ceremony.

NMSP’s Moulmein District and Thaton District jointly hold the MND in Taung-bauk village, Kya-inn-seikyi Township. Nearly about 4000 Mon people in the area attended the ceremony.

In border area, NMSP’s Three Pagoda Pass Township holds the MND ceremony in Palaing-japan village and about 3000 population from various villages attended and Gen. Aung Naing led the ceremony.

 

Gas-pipeline wrecked near Lamine village, Ye Township

There was an explosion of Kanbauk-Myaingkalay gas pipeline about 2:00 a.m. at night of February 11, after the pipeline wrecked and gas spoiled into ground near Lamine village accordingly to the village.

“The sound is like continuing thundering and it is a loud noise” said by the village and the explosion took for 3 hours and the gas spoiled out into ground. “He never heard like this sound and we don’t how could danger to us” added by that villager.

After 3 hours explosion and spoil, the villagers found there was a deep hole into ground. As the explosion place is about one mile far from the village, no gas spoiled into the village. No pipeline wreck direction to the village and so the villagers did not face dangerous situation.

“The village declared to not get out from the village and to off all lights, we don’t know why. First we thought the rebels came and exploded the pipeline, but it was not really”, added by the same villager.

Kanbauk-Myaingkalay gas pipeline was built since 2000 and it supplies gas energy to a cement factory in Myaingkalay village, Pa-an Township, Karen State. The pipeline passes Yebyu Township of Tenasserim Division, lower part of Mon State and then into Karen State.

Pipeline wreck and explosion often occurred in Mon State and there were two explosions in Mon State last year. The first wreck occurred in Mudon and the second explosion was in Ye Township again. For the second explosion that destroyed a long part of pipeline, SPDC also accused KNU.

The pipeline was constructed without foreign experts. Most people in the area believe that the iron pipeline could easily wreck because it passes into the area where salty water reaches.

 

Ven. Uttama offers prizes who passes high grades in Buddhist Scripture Exam

About 500 Mon monks from various parts of Mon areas entered a Buddhist Scripture Exam sponsored by a well known Mon abbot, Ven. Uttama in Three Pagoda Pass border and his holiness also offered prizes to monks who passed in high grades.

The Exam was held from 7th February until 11th. Ven. Uttama, who is also known as ‘ajar tala weng ka’ sponsored the Exam and invited Mon monks from various parts of Mon State and Karen State to enter in exam. All courses in Exam was in Mon language and Pali.

“This Exam is the biggest one in the border area and the objective of this Exam is to maintain Buddhism and also for the survival of Mon language”, said by an organizer in the ceremony.

The Exam was divided into three sections: primary class; middle class and high class. His holiness offered prizes to the top three monks of each class. Among 500 monks, about 180 monks passed the Exam accordingly to Exam Committee. The young monks who received three top prizes are mostly from Moulmein, Mudon and Thanbyuzayat Township.

Ven. Uttama spent about 1.4 million Baht for the whole ceremony and the Mon people in Three Pagoda Pass town and in the border area also gave donations. Hundreds of Mon people also joined and helped in donating foods to monks.

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MEDIA RELEASE

5th New Mon State Party Congress Held

Increased its Central Executive Committee Members and War Committee

February 2, 2003 Head Quarter, Ye, Mon State

The 5th party’s congress of the New Mon State Party [NMSP] helds on 16th January and finished on 2nd February at the Head Quarter of the party.

The congress has inplemented that the party acknowledges the role of successful leaders and their historical leadership while it also seriously takes into account to the unity of the party.

The party has not inplemented new charter to the existing ‘Fundamental Political Policy and Constitution’ but it has developed a few points in pursue to meet current political situations.

The congress has elected nine Central Executive Committee Members led by President Nai Shwe Kyin and Vice-Presedent Nai Htin as well as seven Central War Committee Members.

‘President is age 93 and Vice President is age 82. So they can transfer the tasks to our generation for a future leadership role. This is why the party has extended two more new members in the CEC team’ Nai Shwe Thein, a new elected member of CEC said.

 

The party does not sastify in regards current political development after cease-fire agreement process as there is no clear-cut solution. The party therefore will cooperate with other organizations that hold similar principles as well as democratic forces for a future change.

Mr Thein reinforced that ‘we could not remain silence like this after seven years cease-fire agreement process and so we have to speed up a quickly process for solution’. Mr Thein holds a new position as a General Director of Administration Department of the Party.

The party is seriously disappointed about the occupation of land with claming for national security that owned by local Mon people. There may be a potential doubt [clash] between two sides [NMSP & SPDC] in which the government has built new military camps that are located very close to the exiting party’s controled area. The party here therefore has determined to be a body for the public portection in regards human rights abuse and land confiscication.

Resolutions:

The congress has implemented five resolutions; promote the unity of the Mon people, restore a be united multi-nationalities, a nation-wide cease-fire process and a tripartite dialogue for political solution, enhance a multi-party democartic system and build a [true] Federal Union [of Burma].

The congress has also resoluted to foster the role of civil society and undertake social welfare works for general public in pursue of ganing public support to the party.

The party will undertake to gain its prime aim of building a sovereignty of ‘New Mon State’ as it was the fundamental political aim of the party.

To achieve this goal, It will indeed holds a political dialogue as well as other means of struggling for victory with the support of Mon people.

 

Media contact

Nai Aye Mon

Incharge Officer for Information [Liaison Office]

New Mon State Party

Tel (66-34) 595 149