KAO WAO NEWS No. 10

An electronic newsletter for social justice and freedom in Burma

No. 10, February 5-15

READERS FRONT

MON CLASH STEPS INTO AN ARMED CONFLICT

PANGLONG SPIRIT GROWS INSIDE CEASE-FIRE GROUPS

UNLD HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING

HARIBHUNCHAI: THE FORGOTTEN MON KINGDOM

MOBILE PHONE A RISK FOR MIGRANTS

POLICE ROB MONEY FROM REGISTERED WORKERS

CROCODILE ENTERS HOME AND KILLS INFANT

MON YOUTH MOVE FORWORD

NATIONAL DAY IN THE WORKS

READERS FRONT

Dear Readers,

Happy Valentin's Day! We invite comments and suggestions on improvements to Kao-Wao newsletter. With your help, we hope that Kao-Wao News will continue to grow to serve better the needs of those seeking social justice in Burma and Thailand. And we hope that it will become an important forum for discussion and debate and help readers to keep abreast of issues and news. Above all, we hope the newsletter will be used as a vehicle for those who want to share their views and experiences.

We reserve the right to edit and reject articles without prior notification. You can use a pseudonym but we encourage you to include your full name and address.

Regards,

Editor [email protected]

Hello Kao Wao groups,

Greeting from Finland. I am very impressed with your news (programme) and I can know more about our Mon people and what is happening in Monland. I hope you will send more news to us. We, Mon people in Finland, will joyfully celebrate the upcoming Mon National Day too.

Best wishes,

Wai Nai Chan Mon-Finn Seurvaa Organization-Finland

Dear Kao Wao,

It is not the only case for you ("Mon Media Under Pressure", your article at Kao-Wao 9) but all media are under pressure by either the government or non. We can't stop the role of media and it is important to let it grow. Yes, they (governments or anti-government) care the media and you can also make a change.

Sincerely,

TeiTei

MON CLASH STEPS INTO AN ARMED CONFLICT

(Kao-Wao, Sangkhlaburi, February 13, 2002)

In spite of a mutual vow not to engage in armed conflict, the Mon dispute, between the New Mon State Party and the newly formed Hongsawatoi Restoration Party, has moved into an armed conflict.

On the morning of February 13, the militant HRP group burnt down a truck belonging to the New Mon State Party. The unforeseen attack occurred at Tai-Joein near Bleh Doonpite while the NMSP truck was traveling on its way to Halock-Khanee camp from NyiSar in Monland. Following the incident, fighting broke out between the troops of Colonel Nai Pan Nyunt and the New Mon State Army in the later afternoon at Daybyu area. The fighting was a brief encounter, lasting for about 15 minutes, a local source informed to KaoWao on February 14 that NMSP suffered two dead and HRP suffered one dead.

The outrage of HRP followed after announcement by the NMSP to cut off contacts with the HRP. Skirmish occurred between the two groups near Halockhanee refugee camp on February 4 and Colonel Lawee Ong (Nai Myint Swe) of the NMSP called a meeting on February 8, 2002 informing villagers to cut off contact with the splinter group. In retaliation to this, the HRP issued a counter statement informing villagers to do the same with the NMSP, the tension erupted into an armed conflict.

The Central Executive Committee of the NMSP issued an open letter to Mon monks in Monland on January 14, 2002. The statement clarified the situation of breakaway leader Col Pan Nyunt in responding to the monk society inside Burma, who has urged the NMSP to avoid armed conflict between Mons and to build unity.

Due to the unsecured state of affairs, a local villager stepped on a landmine, not far from his farm. Other local villagers had left the camp, reported a social worker volunteering at the Halockhaee refugee camp.

PANGLONG SPIRIT GROWS INSIDE CEASE-FIRE GROUPS

(Based on NMG and Kao-Wao)

Cease-fire groups sent out a collective message to the Union Day Celebration in Rangoon, which was sponsored by the military junta on February 12, 2002.

Colonel Zaw Seng, the leader of Kachin Independent Organization said the petition message was organized by Shan State Peace Council as a signal that the cease-fire groups are ready for the solidarity of the Union. Seven groups who had reached a cease-fire agreement with the SPDC government in Burma cosigned the statement message. The seven parties, namely, Kachin Independent Organization (KIO), Shan State Peace Council (SSPC), New Mon State Party (NMSP), Karenni Nationalities People Liberation Front (KNPLF), Shan State Nationalities People Liberation Organization (SSNPLO), Kayan New Land Party (KNLP) and Palaung State Liberation Army (PSLA).

The message urged all people of Burma to establish solidarity, equality, democracy and development, as quoted by the Kachin leader, all ethnic people are striving for solidarity. The cease-fire KIO openly joined the statement for the first time while the NMSP and other groups issued similar statements in the past urging the military junta for more cooperation.

Meanwhile, the Natioanal Coalition of the Government of Union of Burma (NCGUB), Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS), All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) and the United Nationalities League for Democracy -Liberated Area (UNLD-LA) issued statements commemorating the 55 Anniversary of the Union Day on February 12, 2002. The UNLD-LA statement emphasized that when General Aung San was assassinated, the Panglong agreement died with him, it was signed by the leaders of Shan, Kachin, Chin and Burman, but the agreement was destroyed, denial become the root cause of civil war in Burma. The message rightly pointed out that the Panglong spirit should be revived as a motivating factor to reestablish the Union of Burma, which will guarantee a genuine democratic federal union.

UNLD HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING

(Kao-Wao, February 7, 2002)

The United Nationalities League for Democracy -Liberated Area held its annual meeting near Thai-Burma border (Liberated Area) from February 5 to 7, 2002.

Its Presidiums, Secretaries and Committee members attended the meeting from various nationalities, representing Arakan, Shan, Chin, Karen, Karenni, Lahu, Pa-O and Mon. The delegates flew in from around the world: Thailand, Australia, Canada, Sweden, and India. The ultimate goal on their agenda is to restore democracy and establish a federal system in Burma. The three-day gathering was to achieve a clear strategy and design tactical measures by reviewing past activities and set up new work plans for the future.

Among the ethnic leaders were Khun Teddy Buri of the President of MPU (Members of Parliamentarian Union), Mahn Nyunt Maung (aka) Maung SinKye (the well known writer and National Literacy Award winner of Burma), Dr. Chao Tzang Yawnghwe, son of Sao Shwe Thaike, the former President of the Union of Burma and Kun Manko Ban, the Minister for Federal Affairs of the NCGUB, government in exile.

For the first time, the Mon National Democratic Front (liberated area) attended the meeting, Chairman, Nai Tun Way and General Secretary, Nai Phong, joined the meeting with other delegates, comprised of five Members of Parliaments, political scientists and activists. The MNDF in Burma was formed after the 1988 uprsing, but its top leaders were imprisoned in Burma despite winning five seats in the General Election.

The UNLD was established in 1989 as an umbrella organization for the non-Burman nationalities in Burma. The member parties of the UNLD contested the 1990 general election under the slogan of "democracy and equality" and won 67 seats in the parliament. The election results established the UNLD as the second largest political party in Burma.

HARIBHUNCHAI: THE FORGOTTEN MON KINGDOM

(By Lita Davidson in Thailand)

Haribhunchai, the first state in northern Thailand, known today as Lamphun in Chiang Mai province, was once a thriving Mon kingdom from the 6th to the 13th century AD.

Legend surrounds the creation of the city, when in the 9th century a holy man invited the daughter of a Lawo king (Lopburi, central Thailand) to come rule. It took her 7 months, via the Ping River, with an entourage of craftsmen, artisans, physicians, ironsmiths, reverent monks and the Buddhist scriptures, Tripitaka, and several battles with the surrounding communities to establish herself as Queen Chamma Thewi. She brought with her Dvaravati art styles and Buddhist philosophy, it was to become an important trade route, linked to the Dvaravati Kingdom and SuwunnaBhumi (Thaton) in southern Burma. This brilliant period of Haribhunchai ended quite suddenly in 1292 when King Mungrai, the ruler to the northern province of “Yonok”, Chiang Rai, fomented opposition to the ruler of Haribhunchai, he invaded the area with the help of his allies to the south and burnt the city and the surrounding settlements to the ground, he annexed this vast territory into the “Lanna” kingdom, meaning a million rice fields”, later founding Chiang Mai in 1296. King Mungrai, as did the Burmese after him, conquered Haribhunchai because it was the center of Buddhism and trade, he also adopted the Mon alphabet, the origin of the Thai language.

The scenic one-hour drive to Lamphun from Chiang Mai is like a regal entrance to a kingdom; flanked on either side of the road are 40-meter high dipterocarps (Yang) trees. The region is a vast alluvial plane nourished by the Ping and Kuang Rivers, the soil being fertile for agriculture, in prehistoric times communites settled along the river edge. Today lavish garden estates; honey farms and other small farming communities dominate the area. There is truth to the statement that the present is rooted in the past, not far from Lamphun is the living reminder of the once thriving Mon Kingdom, a humble Mon village situated around Wat Kok Klaing meaning ‘Central Island’, comprised of about 100 households. According to the Abbot Phra Kru Udom, the Mon of this community originated from the time of Haribhunchai and like other Mon to the south still retain some of their traditional ways like weaving and making Khanom long noodles. The area 800 years ago was surrounded by water, hence the name ‘Central Island’, the town was rectangular, built of brick walls in a north south orientation, the north wall running parallel to the river, and like other towns the people traveled by way of the ‘klongs’ water canals that connected people and places.

Lamphun’s quaint little National Museum has a selection of Mon artifacts and artwork from the Dvaravati and Haribhunchai period, 7th to 13th century. The curator, Dr. Pensupa Sukkata, who is writing a book on Haribhunchai, pointed out that Thai academics deter from connecting the ‘Mon to any Kingdom’, they view it as too risky. According to Dr. Pensupa, the Mons produced great art for centuries and for this achievement is classified as a “High Culture”. “The Mon don’t like to fight but create beautiful art and literature”, she added. The most impressive of artifacts in the museum are the Lotus shaped stone slab inscriptions of ancient Mon language. Out of the 35, 7 are Mon; the Thai are deciphered, the Mon, some of which are the largest and which command your attention, stand 5 feet in height, they have yet to be translated.

Migrant Watch

MOBILE PHONE A RISK FOR MIGRANTS

(Kaowao / Bangkok, February 12, 2002)

Two Thai policemen in Samusakhon (Maharchai) threatened to arrest a Mon migrant worker, who holds a valid work permit card, according to a local source.

The Mon, age 20, who wishes to remain unidentified due to security reasons, was harassed on his way to visit Bang Kham, near soi Lom Mitt at Mahachai. The two policemen directed him into a nearby bush where they questioned him about his mobile phone. The policemen said, 'You are a migrant worker, how come you can use a mobile phone?’ The worker explained, politely, ‘it is for work, when my boss needs me to work overtime, or something else to do with the factory.’

The policemen roughly pushed him down to the ground. They ordered, 'pay us 3500.00 or we’ll place you under arrest'. The worker pleaded to no avail that he holds a valid worker card, as they moved to arrest him, they helped themselves to his pocket money and left.

POLICE ROB MONEY FROM REGISTERD WORKERS

(By Kaowao/ Mahachai, February 12, 2002)

Two policemen extorted money from an eighteen-year-old girl at a fishing community near Bangkok in Thailand.

Thai policemen patrolling the area on their evening shift on February 10, 2002 robbed Mi Ye a registered worker from Burma of 4500 Bahts at Rommit Soi 2, Mahachai, Samut Sakhon province. After showing her work permit, they checked the purse and took all the money she had. Mi Ye was so afraid at that time she could not defend herself, as she does not speak Thai very well, the police ignored her and took off as soon as they got the money.

A social worker later on reported that they were unable to solve the case. "We contacted the police office by phone as soon as the crime occurred, but received no response,” a social worker said. The plate number of the motorbike showed as 8334.

CROCODILE ENTERS HOME AND KILLS INFANT

(By Kao-Wao, Bangkok, February 7, 2002)

A new born baby, three days old, was severely mauled to death by a crocodile at Maharchai, Samutsakhon, Thailand on Feb 6, 2002.

Nai Sein Win and Mi Ngwe Thin, a Mon couple who entered Thailand from Hnikaring village, Ye township in Mon State, Burma, had a baby on Feb 3, 2002. The couple is employed at Ortaw fish processing factory of Bang Yar, Samutsakhon Province. After a long delivery of three days the tired mother, alone and unassisted, Mi Ngwe Win, left the baby for 20 minutes to go to a shop to buy food. The crocodile emerged from watercourse in the afternoon and entered the couples’ home where it found the baby on the bed. Unfortunely the child had been severely mauled by the crocodile by the time the mother returned. Several people shouted at the creature as it took off back to the watercourse. Mi Ngwe Thin was in shock after seeing her baby mangled to death and fell unconscious. She was sent to the hospital for treatment for shock and from exhaustion after giving birth. A Mon friend in Mahachai said that Mi Ngwe Thin and her husband, who are both quite distraught, will return home very soon.

MON YOUTH MOVE FORWARD

(Kao-Wao, February 10, 2002)

The Mon Youth Liberty Organization (MYLO) called its first meeting on February 10 to set up work plans for the future task of building the youth network and solidarity among Mon youths and other related communities. On January 13, 2002, members of various Mon Youth Organizations living in and around Bangkok formed MYLO, with nine Board Management members and two Coordinators.

As an independent institution, only youth participants attended the meeting at Bang Kadee, a Thai Mon village on this one occasion. Kun Yekkha and Banya Hongsar, the Central Coordinators of MYLO chaired the event. The participants exchanged views on the current Mon social and political situation. They focused on education, media, employment and leadership issues, as well as the bigger issue of the pursuit of freedom and self-determination for the Mon people in Burma.

Meanwhile the Youth representatives of the Mon Unity League, Nai Yeup is in South Africa taking a course by the International Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) at the University of Cape Town (UPC).

UPCOMING MON NATIONAL DAY

(Kao-Wao/ Monland, February 15, 2002)

The New Mon State Party will celebrate the 55th Mon National Day in many places and the main event will take place in a liberated area at Tavoy District, southern part in Mon State. General Aung Nai, the CEC of NMSP is in charge of organizing the celebration and Nai MinHtut, another CEC member was appointed as the Secreatry of the national event. Coorganizers of the event include Lt. Col Layeh Kagow and Nai Htarwara.

The Mon community in the US will celebrate the national day in Fortwayne, Indiana but a gathering will be taken place in Ohio State at the Italian City Hall on March 2 where some Mons are settled. The Mon-Finn Seurvaa Organization-Finland will celebrate the event in Jyvaskulaa, a small city in Finland where the Mon community recently migrated in 2000.

Kao Wao News Group [email protected]