KAO WAO NEWS NO. 79
An electronic newsletter for social justice and
freedom in
November 28-
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READERS’ FRONT
YAA BAA MAGIC
corruption SPREADS AFTER MI loses control
rising FUEL price hits Travelers’ pockets
HRP declined overture from Burmese military
YOUTHS LEAD MON
NATIONAL DAY
CANADIAN FOREIGN POLICY REVIEWED BY
NCGUB PRIME MINISTER
VISITS FINLAND
THE DIVERSE MINDSETS OF BURMESE POLITICAL
CULTURES
CHINS CELEBRATE CENTENNIAL YEAR OF CHRISTIANITY
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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]
_________________________________________
I read with interest of Kao Wao News No.78 that Col Nai Pan Nyunt is classified as a Guerrilla Leader, so I
read my dictionary to see what it meant. It states" a member of an
unofficial armed force fighting a regular force or forces". So then I ask
by what is called official and by who. So if Col Pan
Nyunt and the HRP are classified as Guerrillas then that also must put New
Mon State Party and it's leaders in this same category
(and any other Ethnic group formed to fight the SPCD). If
this is not so when did the
Ramonya Australian Group
Sherryl Allen
_____________________________________
Dear Kao Wao,
I am very impressed with your news about the activities of
Thai Mons and publication of Mon Community Rights in
Kun Dein-Mon
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YAA BAA MAGIC
(Taramon/ Sangkhlaburi:
Hunters in the
Talking to Kao Wao under the condition of anonymity the
headman explained, “The hunters in the village (his village) buy Yaa-baa speed pills to placate the spirits adding to
traditional beliefs.”
Local hunters find that using the speeding pill is good to
placate the spirits when they head off into the jungle to hunt wildlife
animals, such as deer, pig, gibbon and monkey. It is used to improve the
power of the hunter and bring on the animals.
Yaa baa, he says is expensive to
buy in the area, one pill is worth around 200 Baht but it is not difficult to
get. The village headman claims that he cannot crack down on drug
smugglers due to his safety even though he knows who are involved.
Since local people along the border area have little in the
way of job opportunities, and thus little income to buy food, their survival
depends on hunting the wildlife, which is cheap compared to buying livestock
meat in the market. At
Gang is the most popular meat among residents in the border
area, the headman said. Thais from other provinces such as
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corruption SPREADS AFTER MI LOSES CONTROL
(Taingtaw,
Telephone users in Mon and
Local SPDC military commanders, police and special branch
units go from door to door to phone owners including illegal phone users in
townships and ask for high taxes, reported a young man who participated in Mon
Youth Progressive Organization from Mon state.
“In the past, there is only the Military Intelligence (MI)
but now there are the army, police and SB, who come around asking for money,”
he added.
“At the end of the month the owners would usually see the
MI but now the authorities come to us. They have asked for around ten to
fifteen thousand kyat,” he added. Some satellite phone owners in Karen
and
“I have to pay the Mon (NMSP) and Karen (DKBA),” complained
a satellite phone owner in Karen state under the condition of anonymity. Many
of his friends involve in illegal phone transactions and money exchange
business between traders and migrant workers in
Some phone owners have stopped doing their business due to
the increase in high taxes and widespread corruption; they have no profit from
their business.
“We hand over all our profit to them (SPDC), but not for
us,” another Mon businessman who recently arrived to the Three Pagodas Pass
Thai Burma border reported.
Many villages in Mon and Karen states have satellite phones
bought in from
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rising FUEL price hits Travelers’ pockets
(IMNA:
The price of fuel is slowly jumping up in
The price of a gallon of petrol, 2,100 kyat in the previous
month, is now 2,400 kyat. The price of a gallon of diesel, 2,200 kyat in the
previous month, has now jumped to 2,500 kyat. Fuel prices slowly jumped
up although Myanmar Petroleum Products Enterprise (MPPE) gives oil to people
who own vehicles and have licenses, said Nai Min Tun, a
But the Burmese military government’s Ministry of Energy
(ME) reduced sales of oil 50% to owners of vehicles registered with the
government, according to car owners in
It makes oil prices jump because the oil company in
MRTV and The Myanmar Times Journal reported on September 27
that the military government Ministry of Energy planned to reduce the need for
imported oil, a crisis in which the world community faces. Moreover, the government
planned to shift vehicle engines from using oil to gas.
We are reluctant of traveling from Ye to
We don’t want to collect soaring prices from travelers, but
if we do not collect as much as this price, we cannot have a route. We have no
benefits,” said a car owner, who did not want to identify himself
for security reasons.
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HRP declined overture from Burmese military
(Independent Mon News Agency:
The Burma Army launched a military operation in the Hongsawatoi Restoration Party (HRP) based area and sent
overtures to the HRP for a cease-fire after its headquarters was captured in
fighting by Karen National Liberation Army and Muslin armed group, the HRP
chairman said.
“Our man reported to me that the BA launched seven military
operations against us, and recently the Burmese troops also sent overtures to
our troops for a cease-fire with the help of a Thai army officer,” said Colonel
Pan Nyunt who is recovering from wounds.
“Our man replied back that I was not back there and they
can not make any decision for the cease-fire and denied meeting the Burmese
military troop’s commander. If there is no benefit to Mon people, we do
not make cease-fires and surrender,” said Nai Pan
Nyunt who recently can walk with a small wound still on his leg.
“There is regular fighting between the HRP and Burmese
troops. Some Burmese soldiers have died in the battle,” Nai
Pan Nyunt claimed, but said none of his people were wounded or died.
The HRP had received overtures by the Burmese military
government in the past and in February the HRP denied a cease-fire talk after
the Burmese military government changed the discussion place from Thai
territory to
According to Nai Pan Nyunt, the
Burmese military surrounded his troops and headquarters, whose arms decreased
after the capture by KNU and Muslin armed groups. The HRP movement also
has decreased in Southern Mon State and
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Youths in
YOUTH LEAD MON
NATIONAL DAY
(Kao Wao:
The
A major difference from previous years and other Mon
communities worldwide is that all of its core committee members are comprised
of youths and young adults eager to do things different. The strongest
Mon community in
The raring to go team formed subcommittees for decoration,
cultural performance, food and beverage, and finance. “We are confident
we will do better with new ideas and fresh energy. However, we will learn
experience from our leaders,” insisted a newly appointed MND core member.
Worldwide, Mon communities in the
Mon National Day annual celebration is celebrated in many
locales around the world and back home at various venues in
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Activism
CANADIAN FOREIGN POLICY REVIEWED BY
(Kao Wao:
"The
Reported by event organizer
Tin Maung Htoo, the report has 47 pages, along with
historical photos, graphs and charts. Beginning with a brief backgrounder on
the "Burma Campaign" of
WWII. It then analyzes Canadian foreign policy toward
Importantly, the Report also offers
an assessment of the viability of
The Report also makes a number of
recommendations to the Government of Canada, including: providing more direct
support to the Burmese democratic movement in both moral and material terms;
continuing assistance to Burmese refugees in Thailand and Bangladesh;
increasing its contribution in UN specialized agencies' initiatives in Burma;
initiating direct assistance to those most economically marginalized inside
Burma (provided this is managed, monitored and offered independent of the
corrupt Burmese military junta).
The Report is the product of the
policy group, Burma Forum
For more info contact: Tin Maung Htoo by email: [email protected] or Kyaw Moe [email protected] and www.burmaforum.org
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NCGUB PRIME MINISTER
VISITS FINLAND
(Reported by Chittun in
Dr. Sein Win, Prime Minister of
National Coalition Government of Union of Burma (NCGUB) and Dr. Thaung Htun, NCGUB
Representative of UN Affairs arrive in
Then the Prime Minister will visit Burmese Community in
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The third part series on the role of the
military and civil society in
THE DIVERSE MINDSETS OF BURMESE POLITICAL CULTURES
(By Banyar
Hongsar,
The Bigger Picture
Talented men and women from Burma
(all nationalities) are prepared to contribute in the nation building process,
but they are leaving in the hundreds of thousands, being driven out by poverty,
conflict, and human rights violations to neighboring countries and to a third
country like Canada, the United States and Japan.
The Burmese military after
reaching a ceasefire with the different groups should have found a way to
establish reconciliation within the country. This is the major problem. The
SPDC needs to put the country’s national interest ahead of its military power
and abolish the policy of “Burmanization”, a policy
that directly discriminates all forms of freedom. The leaders of the cease-fire
groups, members of political parties both in
Corruption reigns supreme in all
sectors, along with the spread of HIV/AIDS which threatens to reach epidemic
levels in rural villages in the coming years, linked with under age marriage,
illegal abortion, and lack of health education for women and children in the
community. All leaders simply cannot continue to pray and spread the water to
alleviate poverty and common diseases, like malaria and tuberculosis,
uneducated children, young men and women are all at a high risk in the
country. Military men have to abide by military law and order, and
civilians must obey common law and order, no one should be above the law.
Hundreds of thousands of innocent
civilians have been killed by the army and everyday local villagers are abused
or killed by the army, women are raped, children left homeless, families are
displaced, and activists jailed and tortured. The legal system is
non-existent and administrative power is under the boots of the military men
who line their pockets with extorted money. It is not to suggest that all
victims and members of remaining families forgive all atrocities and wrong
doings committed by the
Civil war and armed conflict as
well as political tension have gripped Burmese society for decades and the
Burmese people must find the answer to the question of “what went wrong” and
build a legal system to initiate public healing, national reconciliation and
legal compensation by the future government. The new government must have
a mandate to bring justice to those victims and give public voice to those who
want to be heard in the legal proceedings.
The United Nations, the ASEAN,
the EU and
“For a political transition to
succeed in
Beyond party and secular politics
Currently military men have a
strong position in playing political games with the opposition groups. A
civilian led political party led by Daw Suu Kyi and former veteran politicians
stand firmly on democratic principles while the military men stand on “a modern
nation” regardless of public opinion and popularity of the opposition
party. Common border based non-Burman armed leaders and their political
organizations stick rigorously to their position of “self-determination” while
the Rangoon based military men totally reject that for the beginning of Burma
independence. A progressive leader or leaders must have a common political doctrine
to mobilize the situation of the country, but most fall
back on the ground of “party’s politics” or “organizational interests”. There
is a void of communication among the different groups that hampers a political
dialogue to reform the country.
Logically the SPDC say they are
upholding the
A culture of new politics is
required to give voice to the local grassroots people, they must be heard and
theirs concerns brought to the table. All armed and political factions
must protect women and children and the new generation and progressive leaders
both in the military circles and civil society have to be in touch with
community life. Businessmen and investors must see to it that they play a
fair game in the new political environment watched over by the media and formal
regulations.
The military, linked to business
interests, control all the resources and have open access to the economy and
capital markets, thus retarding civil society development, political
institutions and infrastructure in the country. They must place themselves
beyond their personal and party’s interest to meet the challenges of the global
environment.
According to U Soe Thinn, Head of the Burmese
Service of Radio Free Asia in the Burma Debate in 2000 explained that “most of
the Burmese people in the period following independence would think about
politics as “party politics” and if you asked a lay-man to define politics, he
would probably describe it as a vying for power. Politicians will do anything
to get to a position of power, whether they conduct good governance or not is
subject to the question”. Burmese political culture has not reached beyond
party politics, many current politicians still grip onto their position for
power bargaining based on their old ideological constructs.
In 1988 there were countless
organizations in
Seeds of democracy
Each organization speaks the
jargon of “democracy and federalism” but in reality leaders of the
organizations have minimal human and financial resources to achieve common
goals. Sadly, there are millions of migrant workers in
Currently the worse state of
affairs is that many activists based in
Example of simple campaign:
There are many campaigns in which
the citizens can start to change
If US, EU and UN distribute (10)
million radio sets to
Conclusion
All citizens in the country have
to adopt a “What If” theory, being able to anticipate what will come next, as
westerners have done for the last two centuries while undertaking a principle
of “do your best, don’t harm others” a logical theory for democracy and human
rights. As long as
Author’s note:
This article was not intended to
be an academic study paper, but as a fellow citizen of the country, I felt that
there is something wrong in Burmese political culture and that something needed
to be said, taking long periods of time to reflect and to identify what is
holding back the country. As someone who grew up in armed conflict zones I have
on many occasions faced conflicts between Burman and non-Burman ethnic groups
for over thirty years and have endeavored to put forward plain ideas and a
basic theory for a simple solution to the country.
*Banya
Hongsar is a Mon Journalist who studied Buddhism in
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CHINS CELEBRATE CENTENNIAL YEAR OF CHRISTIANITY
By Salai Za
From 26-27
November, Chin people from across the
More than
300 people attended the celebration, representing more than 10 Chin Churches
from
Rev. Dr. Lindell Anderson, a retired US Army colonel, Ms. Patty
Lane, International Initiative for Baptist General Convention for Texas and Mr.
Florence, Multicultural Strategist and head of the Asia Caucus for the American
Baptist Churches were also in attendance.
One of the
largest gatherings ever organized by Chin community in exile, the celebration
is seen as not just symbolic but as having enormous political and social
significance.
“It’s not
just that we are celebrating the centenary for what it is,” said Rev. Dr. Chum Awi, Chairman of the Chin Christian Centenary Celebration
Committee, “We are showing solidarity with our people inside the Chin State in
Burma who are persecuted for their religious belief and ethnic identity.” He
said the event is a good educational tool for younger Chin generations to
better appreciate their religious and cultural roots. And for many of the
participants, in the face of enduring persecution at home, the celebration
means a time for spiritual renewal and to reflect on the past as a century of
evolution of Christianity in the Chin society.
“The
graceful presence of Siangbawi nu le pa makes the event particularly meaningful,”
commented one participant coming from
The
celebration, held at The Fairmont Dallas Hotel, drew Chin people from all walks
of life. Pu Lian
Another
program during the celebration is a meeting of Chin youths living in
“As ironic
as it maybe,” says Rev. Dr. Chum Awi, a former
government attorney and former Secretary General of Zomi
(Chin) Baptist Convention, “Here we can practice our religion freely without
worrying about the Burmese military suppressing and interfering in what we do
as Christians. Chin Churches here in
Background
of the Chin and Christianity
In 1899,
during the British colonial rule, a missionary couple, Arthur E. and Laura
Carson from the American Baptist Mission (Now American Baptist Churches) set
foot in the Chin Hills of what is now known as the Chin State of western Burma.
They established a mission center at Haka, the
present day capital of
Before the
arrival of American missionaries, Chins worshipped indigenous religion or
animism, having an established set of religious and cultural customs that
governed their societal behaviour. The Chin had a concept of creator god, Khua-zing, who governs the universe, and a
guardian god, Khua-hrum, a god who protects
the clans of the family and the village. Lian Hmung Sakhong, in his published
PhD thesis on “Religion and Politics among the Chin People in Burma
(1986-1949),” argues Christianity and the Chin indigenous religion have
much conceptual commonness, despite the fact that early Christian missionaries
discouraged the practice of traditional Chin religious and cultural customs.
In 1904, Thuam Hang and Pau Suan from Khuasak village of
northern
Christianity
Suppressed in
The Chins,
like many other ethnic groups in
In 1999, a
centennial celebration marking the arrival of the first missionaries was
deliberately disrupted by Burmese military regime by unilaterally postponing
the event and by arbitrarily limiting the number of people who could attend the
event. The regime ordered the destruction of a centennial cross erected in
remembrance of the first missionaries in Thantlang
town while decreeing that construction of a centennial memorial building in Haka is closed down. Several invitees to the centennial
celebration from abroad, including Rev. and Mrs Johnsons,
the last missionaries to work among the Chins had had their visa applications
refused by the Burmese military regime in a deliberate attempt to disrupt the
event.##
**Salai Bawi Lian
Mang, Editor-In-Chief of Rhododendron News and
Director of Ottawa-based Chin Human Rights Organization, is currently an
International Visiting Scholar at the
**Salai Za Uk
Ling, Associate Editor of Rhododendron News, a bimonthly publication of Chin
Human Rights Organization, and co-author of “Religious Persecution: A
Campaign of Ethnocide against Chin Christians in Burma” is studying
Political Science at Lakehead University,
Thunder Bay, Canada
[*]
Sia Khaw is
the maternal grandfather of co-author Salai Za Uk
Ling. Sia Khaw is buried
with Rev. Arthur Carson, the first American Baptist Missionary to Chinland, in a cemetery in Haka,
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