KAO WAO NEWS No. 74
An electronic newsletter for social justice and
freedom in Burma
September 1- 20,
2004
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READERS’ FRONT
THAI BOSSES KILLED
BY MIGRANT FISHERMEN
FRENCH JUDGE REJECTS
APPEAL TO CLOSE TOTAL’S CASE
WHO WILL BE
BELIEVED? LAWI WENG
CAUGHT IN THE
CROSSFIRE: VILLAGERS KILLED AND ARRESTED
FUNDS RAISED
VILLAGERS TAXED TO
PAY TEACHERS' SALARIES
57TH MON
ARMED RESISTANCE DAY CELEBRATED
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READERS' FRONT
Dear Readers,
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
Regards,
Editor
[email protected], [email protected]
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Migrant Watch
THAI BOSSES KILLED
BY MIGRANT WORKERS
(Kao Wao:
After being refused to land ashore to register for their work
permits, migrant workers killed their Thai bosses last week, according to a
source from the Mon community in
About 60 Mon nationals from Kaw Paline village, Kyaik Mayaw Township of Mon state, killed their 7 Thai bosses on the boat, then sailed off to the Indonesian water zone and were captured by the Indonesian policemen.
The source reported the fishing boat, on which the migrant fishermen worked, had not landed on shore (harbor) for over two months and the migrants had grown frustrated and angry about loosing their chance to re-register their work permits in the kingdom.
Another source from the Mon community said the Burmese
migrant workers in Samut Sakhorn
province are not happy with the Thai Media, which is at times biased to favor
Thai employers and the Thai public and at times broadcasts a prejudiced and
one-sided spin on political and economic issues of Thai interests and provides
little mention or news coverage on issues related to the ordinary lives of
Burmese migrant workers who live there. The Thai media is reluctant to raise
any serious questions concerning the relationship between
“The Maharchai area is infamous for lawlessness. We (migrant workers) have always been targeted by the police and are exploited by employers. The local Mafia gangs are troublemakers and the Thai police do nothing to stop them, as they themselves are working together thick as thieves. We are a hard working people and we are vulnerable, and have been abused by the Mafia and our employers for many years now. It’s very rare that the migrants in the fishing boats get involved in murder,” said Nai Blai, the Mon community leader from the area.
Several thousand migrant workers come from
“Many live a tough life, have no education and no security, some fishermen are involved in crimes. They sometimes attack back when their families and wives are harassed and sexually assaulted,” Nai Lawi Mon, a worker from the seafood processing factory, said.
The Mon community in Maharchai
said some of the fishermen’s families moved to other places fearing revenge, some had packed up and went back to
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FRENCH JUDGE REJECTS
APPEAL TO CLOSE TOTAL’S CASE
(KaoWao:
A French judge rejected an appeal to close the case of
Judge Katherine Cornier did not accept the appeal to stop
the case charged by environment and human rights groups after the spokesperson
for
“The judge has strong evidence on the case and rejected to close it,” Mr. Htoo Chit, Coordinator of Grass Roots Human Rights Education and Development Committee said from the Thai Burma border. The Committee had networked with a French NGO to bring the complaint against the Total, formerly known as TotalFinaElf, in front of the courts.
The NGO, based on the southern Thai-Burma border, accused
the Total Oil Company of human rights abuses while constructing the Yadana gas pipeline in southern
The group has accused Total since August 2002. Total is one
of the most corrupt oil companies in the world founded by
(Source: Le mystere du gazoduc of Le Point 19 August 2004 in the French language and Htoo Chit, the coordinator of the group}
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Opinion
WHO WILL BE
BELIEVED?
(By Lawi Weng)
The military regime mentioned in the “New Light of Myanmar”
news paper that the exile political groups don’t want to cooperate with them to
work together in order to promote democracy in
The regime has managed the country as a pariah state, one state, one regime and one government as trying to manipulate the opposition party. There are about 1,500 political prisoners in the country. Even the international community and the UN (United Nations) have demanded the release of all political prisoners, the military regime has still ignored it.
Instead of trusting the regime, it seems that the exile groups
need to believe the American (
Nevertheless, the regime has shown their insincerity in
cracking down on the pro-democracy in the Depanyin
case. The regime had planned to assassinate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in order to
hold on the power and maintain a unitary state in
After Depayin massacre, the EU
has extended its visa ban and plans to freeze the assets of the military
economy. The EU has blacklisted some USDA (Union Solidarity and Development
Association) by not allowing them to go to EU. As the regime has committed the
crime in Depayin, it is very clear that the regime
doesn’t want to solve problems in
But Prime Minister Khin Nyunt has proposed a road map and implemented the national convention, which was stopped in 1996. There were thirty ethnic groups who attended the national convention forced by the regime. The junta did not amend the NC Principles of 104 and 5\96 even though the ethnic and democratic groups have demanded for change.
The cease-fire groups put forward a proposal outlining a
plan to set up a federal state in
Prime Minister Khin Nyunt held a meeting with his
Singaporean counterpart to discuss the international pressure, deadline in
releasing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or face new sanctions on
Prime Minister Khin Nyunt’s road
map is similar to the situation of Israeli Prime Minister Ali Sharon’s plan to
withdraw from the Gaza Strip, which is a perfect example of something done in
vain. Prime Minster Sharon has accepted a road map from the American and
British governments in order to solve the conflicts in the
The U.S President George W. Bush negotiated between the two groups to join hands and to have a dialogue, and so the Israeli and Palestinian Prime Ministers have met and discussed the issues to solve the conflict.
Aril
The Burmese Prime Minister Khin Nyunt is hoping that a new
constitution will be drawn up by next year from the national convention, which
was held in Nyaung Hnapin
near
Khin Nyunt claims to be promoting democracy in
Lawi Weng
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(Independent Mon News Agency:
The Burma Army burnt down a house and arrested the household heads after an ambush attack by the Mon guerrilla in Mi-Htaw-hlar village, southern Ye.
As retribution to the Mon armed group who fired upon Burmese soldiers who had taken over a house to sleep in, the BA decided to torch the place the very next day, the villagers told IMNA yesterday.
Among 6, 4 soldiers from Light Infantry Battalion No. 282 were shot dead by the Mon rebels while they were sleeping in the home on August 29.
“The soldiers arrested the owners of the house, Mr. Nai Yein, Mr. Mi Doat and our village headman the next morning. The Burmese soldiers took them to Tavoy (Dawai) Town,” Mi Htaw-hlar villagers said. Tavoy town is located in Tenasserim Division where LIB No. 282 is based.
“The soldiers threatened the family members of the house not to take any belongings, they then burned down the entire house with everything inside,” the villagers added.
The Infantry Battalion No. 61 also arrested another 6 villagers, who were on duty patrolling the village under the command of BA when the soldiers were shot. The BA is investigating them in Ye, reported the villager.
“It is the nature of BA to arrest civilians on the spot when anything doesn’t go their way. The innocent are investigated and tortured,” Nai Pan Nyunt, the leader of HRP (Hongsawatoi Restoration Party) told the IMNA.
“They also told the villagers that if the Burmese soldiers were fighting with us near or in the village, villagers will be punished. That order was sent out to all villages in southern Ye Township about a month ago,” he added.
During the ambush, stray bullets wounded two children of Nai Yein and Mi Doat, the Mon rebels then seized five arms from the Burmese Army.
According to the villagers, the BA is angry because the guerrillas surrounded them even though the BA instructed the villagers to patrol and enforce intensive security in the area.
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CAUGHT IN THE
CROSSFIRE: VILLAGERS KILLED AND ARRESTED
(Based on IMNA Report and Kao Wao:
The Burma Army killed a villager and arrested eight others on suspicion of supporting a Mon rebel group that operates in the south part of Ye township.
A train ticket seller from Pauk-pin-gwin village, Mr. Nai Chit Htwe, 35, was killed by Infantry Battalion No.273, of the BA, according to Hongsarwatoi Restoration Party that is active in the area.
Colonel Nai Pan Nyunt, the leader
of HRP said the victim was killed on
A villager told IMNA, that the eight were detained on suspicion of supporting the rebels by hiding them in their villages and providing food for them.
“Killing and arresting villagers with inhumane torture is a common habit of the BA. It is cruel and inhumane to our people. They (the Burmese Army) brought the headmen from Magyi and Mi-taw-hla villages and killed them. And they lied to the villagers that headmen were killed in the fighting with our HRP,” said Colonel Pan Nyunt over the phone interview with the IMNA.
“There have been 15 battles in the area, including ambushes and skirmishes, between the BA and the HRP,” Nai Pan Nyunt confirmed.
The Mon people in the area have sympathized with the rebels for years and the Burmese military have launched an intensive military campaign to wipe out the armed Mon group and take control of the whole area.
“Burmese soldiers regularly arrest the villagers and punish them in order to prevent them from supporting the rebels. From January to March of 2004, Tactical Command No 3 in the area killed over 10 villagers whom they accused of being rebel supporters,” said Nai Kasauh Mon of the Human Rights Foundation of Monland.
The area is designated by the Burma Army as a black zone and villagers have been restricted in visiting their farms since last year when the army started an offensive aimed at wiping out the Mon guerrilla group.
They are only allowed to work at farms that are within
seven miles of their villages from
In the eastern part of Ye township, Mon and Karen villagers have been ordered to use traveling cards with attached photos. Local commanders issue the cards as a means of separating guerrillas from ordinary villagers, a source from a Karen village reported.
In Ye township alone, the BA has expanded its field strength to 11 Infantry and Light Infantry Battalions, as a result, hundreds of acres of land have been confiscated from the local people to provide quarters for them.
Because of the recent offensives launched by the BA in the area, about 20% of the estimated local population of over 50,000 has been displaced. Many have fled to the Thai border area or to Mon refugee resettlement camps, according to a Kyone-kanya village headman.
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FUNDS RAISED
(Kao Wao:
September 11 was remembered by the Mon and friends in
Mon Buddhist Temple Canada, the Mon Women Organization
(MWO) and Mon Canadian Society (MCS) organized the 2nd fund raising
event at Southview Community Association Hall from
Over one hundred people attended the dinner event from a
diverse range of communities. Mon cultural performances were held, accompanied
by Mon music, Karaoke was set up for all to enjoy later in the evening. Among
those present were Canadian MP Hon. Deepak Obhrai and
some guests traveled from
“We are happy everyone enjoyed our entertainment. We raised about $1,500 Cdn. at last year’s fund raising event in August. This year however we didn’t achieved this amount, but this has yet to be finalized”, said Ms. Anjalii Mon, Treasurer of MBTC.
Buddhism flourished within Mon culture with the majority
following the teaching of Theravada Buddhism that strongly influenced cultural
development in their old kingdoms in lower
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Life in
VILLAGERS TAXED TO
PAY TEACHERS' SALARIES
(By Banyear Toay, Kao Wao:
The Burma Army is forcing villagers to pay the salaries of
schoolteachers, according to a village headman in southern Ye,
Speaking under condition of anonymity, the headman quoted the local commander as saying: “Every village must provide 50,000 Kyats to pay the salary of civil servants.” He said the commander had issued the order during a meeting with local authorities and village headmen.
A central committee member of the New Mon State Party said the SPDC is building police stations in front of the Mon national schools in Ywar Thit and Yong Reh villages in order to upset the popular Mon schools which have been run by the local community and Mon National Education Committee (MNEC) for several years.
“The villagers are disappointed because when General Maung Bo visited the area two months ago he said he supported the teaching of the Mon language to children in schools. But in practice, the SPDC authorities are trying to disturb the Mon national schools,” said Nai Mon Chai, a teacher with the MNEC.
In the past, local communities did not establish government schools in this area due to strong support for self-help Mon national schools. But when the military government launched operations against a Mon armed group operating in southern Ye, it started to build government schools in an effort to assimilate the local ethnic population.
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57TH MON
ARMED RESISTANCE DAY CELEBRATED
(Kao Wao,
The New Mon State Party celebrated the 57th anniversary of
Mon Resistance Day in
According to a statement issued today, it demanded the SPDC
government initiate a dialogue toward a political settlement. The NMSP has
continually insisted upon a political dialogue to solve the political crisis
and the purpose of it attending the government sponsored National Convention
was the goal for forming a Federal Union in
The NMSP will struggle by both means: solving the political crisis on the dialogue table and through armed struggle.
President Nai Htin
of the NMSP also sent a commentary message on the significance of armed
resistance day in recognition of the struggles for self-determination and a
federal union in
The Mon Resistance Day commemorates the beginning of the
armed struggle against the central government in 1948. When the British
granted independence to
This year, the NMSP and local communities celebrated armed
resistance day at Central Headquarters, Tavoy,
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(XINHUA online:
In its announcement signed by its First Secretary Lieutenant-General Soe Win, the SPDC appointed Major-General Nyan Win as minister of foreign affairs, Colonel Zaw Win as minister of cooperatives and Brigadier-General Tin Naing Thein as minister of commerce.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs U Win Aung, Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation Major-General Nyunt Tin and Minister of Transport Major-General Hla Myint Swe were removed from their posts.
Minister of Labor U Tin Winn was assigned concurrently as minister at the Prime Minister's Office.
Minister of Cooperatives Major-General Htay Oo was reassigned as minister of agriculture and irrigation, Minister at the Prime Minister's Office Major-General Thein Swe as minister of transport and Minister of Commerce Brigadier-General Pyi Sone as minister at the Prime Minister's Office.
Colonel Maung Myint was appointed as deputy minister of foreign affairs, replacing U Khin Maung Win, who had been removed.
No reason was given for the reshuffle, which was made at the 16th anniversary of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)'s take-over of the state power.
It is the 15th time the
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-09/18/content_1994578.htm
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