KAO WAO NEWS No. 8
READER'S FRONT
FIGHTING BRINGS IN THE NEW YEAR
LIFE IN THE NEW THAM HIN REFUGEE CAMP
INTERVIEW: AN EVENING WITH ASHLEY SOUTH
VILLAGERS FLEE GASE PIPELINE EXPLOSION IN
THAI PREGNANCY BAN WORRY MIGRANT WOMEN
MON YOUTH
ENGLISH FOR ALL SHAN YOUTHS
MON CULTURAL HERITAGE MEETING HELD IN
READER'S 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
kaowao@hotmail.com
Dear Editor,
I am glad to know that MUL will be lobbying, for a peace-resolution of the conflict, between the NMSP and splinter groups. In fact, I highly appreciate all of you who get involved in this peace process. In my opinion, if we, the Mons, pay a close attention to those what have been happening to us, I would blame neither the NMSP nor splinter groups but the Burmese military regime. These problems are created by the SPDC, an evil military junta.
Thank you.
Chit
(
Dear Kao-Wao,
Thank you very much for the news that Mon communities urged the MUL to lobby between two armed groups. But I would like you to present the voice from the New Mon State Party. So that we can understand how the NMSP stands on the MUL's action.
Banya
Dear Editor,
Your stories "The Spirit of Mon Culture by Lita Davidson" was wonderful. It is the time to applaud
once the nation of rich civilization and it should not be dead by a strong
assimilation in
Wyman
FIGHTING BRINGS IN THE NEW YEAR
(Three
Fighting broke out between the Burmese
army and the cease-fire New Mon State Party in the morning on
The confrontation took place at Tar Dein,
near Krein Htow village,
west of
The
In other areas, IMNA reported that two Karen porters were seriously wounded after the KNU and the SPDC battalion No.210 engaged in a battle near Taung Soun village about 25 mile west from Three Pagodas Pass on January 12 and early this month, on January 7, fighting broke out between the Karen and Monland Restoration Army against the Burmese army at Kwan Tamoi and Mae Kasah, near the border town. Fighting also took place on the same day between the NMSP and the splinter group led Major Ong Hmong. The Mon skirmish at Bleh Doonpite, near Halockhanee camp, lasted for about an hour with 60 and 80-mm motor shelling.
Due to sporadic fighting on the route to the border town,
business has slowed considerably at the start of the New Year, complained a
local merchant. Another border trading route Halarn- Halockhanee, which connects to Ye,
THE FIGHT FOR FREEDOM
CONTINUES: LIFE IN THE NEW THAM HIN
Conflict occurred between an unnamed group and refugees in
the new Tham Hin camp, as
reported by an internal source to Kao-Wao last week.
Some individuals were injured after fighting broke out and were sent to a local
clinic for treatment. Many feel that The United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) and the Ministry of Interior of the Royal Thai Government is
not providing sufficient security in the camp. Despite there being ten members
of the
A letter sent to UNHCR stated that several new arrivals have suffered from high fevers, coughing, and the flu, there is no access to clean water or proper sanitation. Moreover, they go through shock from the change in the physical environment and the weather is much colder. There is growing concern over the possibility that many will suffer from malaria again, in previous periods many have faced these kinds of conditions and expect more of the same.
There are (160) students under the program of “Person of
Concern” (POC) who live as a separate category from the other (130) refugees,
who are classified under “Person of Concern- Border Case” , both live separate
from one another. The special 16 members, who gained permission to remain in
the camp, are assigned to live with the POC group. The source said, “the UNHCR and MOI will send the refugees under POC category
within four months to a third country. If a third country accepts the other
special 16 members, they are too are entitled to leave
The MOI photographed the new arrivals with a pink color paper that similar to the local people who live in the areas for decades. It is not clear whether the MOI will take legal proceeding for refugees under POC-Border Case because the authorities does not signal a notice to the refugees. The letter mentioned that 45 members of POC will be sent to a third country this month and the other 80 members will be proceed to a third country shortly after. The rest however, 35 members, do not have access to a visa for settlement to a third country.
Many of the refugees who remain in the new camp, protested
for freedom and democracy in
Kao-Wao learned that the Thai authority could solve this issue of resettlement under its moral and legal perspectives toward Burmese political refugees. Many third countries will accept Burmese refugees for settlement if only the Thai authority will give them the necessary legal permission to leave Thai soil.
INTERVIEW: AN EVENING
WITH ASHLEY SOUTH
Kao-Wao has conducted an interview
with Ashley South, the author of the upcoming book, Mon Nationalism and Civil
War in
Kao-Wao: What books have you published?
'Mon Nationalism and Civil War in
Introduction to this new book?
The book is a political history of the Mon people of lower
Charting Mon history from the earliest times to the present,
the book describes the origins of
Situating events in a regional perspective, 'The Golden Sheldrake' will be of interest to students of Southeast Asian history and politics. Anthropologists will appreciate the sustained focus on issues of identity and assimilation, whilst the author’s first-hand accounts of the humanitarian crisis along the Thailand-Burma border are of particular relevance to the study of displacement and under-development.
ISBN 0 7007 1609 2 (45.00 UK POUNDS) TO ORDER: Curzon Press
Ltd., 51a
Why did you decide to write this book? What motivated you?
I lived and worked along the Thailand-Burma border for seven years (1991-97). After spending three years as a teacher and teacher trainer working mostly with the Karen, between 1994-97 I was as a field co-ordinator with the Burmese Border Consortium (BBC) in Sangkhlaburi, where I worked with the Mon and Karen refugees. During this time I came to know many of the key players in the NMSP and the wider Mon nationalist movement.
On my return to the
With one or two exceptions, Westerners writing about
contemporary Burmese politics have tended to neglect the Mon and other ethnic
minority groups, and down-play the significance of the cease-fire process in
What is your idea about the future of
That's a difficult question! I think it's very important that
any agreement worked out in
What do you think about a future federal union in
Some kind of federal (or 'consociational')
constitutional settlement is probably necessary. However, there are few
international examples of stable federal unions emerging in countries as
ethnically and politically divided as
What do you think of the future of the Mon?
I am very encouraged by the revival in Mon studies and
national feeling over the past ten years. Although human and political rights
continue to be severely abused in
Since 1988, a new generation has emerged, to join the long struggle for rights and justice in Monland, with a new understanding of the central importance of democracy - not just as a distant goal, but as an on-going process. The emergence of such dynamic new groups as the Kao-Wao News Group illustrates this political and cultural revival.
ENVIRONMENTAL
DISASTER
VILLAGERS FLEE GAS
EXPLOSION IN
(Based on IMNA and Kao-Wao
reporter,
After two days of leaking gas, a section of Kanbauk-Myaingkalay gas pipeline exploded in
Since October of last year, villagers of Wae
Raek and Wae Thong Chaung from
Migrant Watch
THAI PREGNANCY BAN WORRY MIGRANT WOMEN
(Based on the Nation and Kao-Wao, January 18)
Migrant women of Mon community at Maharchai,
Ms. Ai Non, leader of the Mon migrant women, said the ban
would make it difficult for the majority working here, at Maharchai,
there are far more women workers, who outnumber men at various food processing
factories. As there is no choice, they will end up as illegal immigrants
because the economy in
MON YOUTH
(Kao-Wao,
The Mon youth community has recently established the “Mon
Youth Liberty Organization” in
Chairperson of the meeting, Nai Sunthorn said, “We sincerely welcome all Mon youth to
participate in the social and political movement independently and without
interference. The Mon Unity League believes decentralization is the best method
for us under the present political and organizational circumstances”. Nai Sunthorn is the appointed General Secretary of the Mon
Unity League. More than twenty
participants attended the meeting, organized by Youth representatives of the
Mon Unity League led by Nai Yeup.
It was a very productive meeting that has attracted many among the Mon Youth
community in
According to Banya Hongsar, a co-organizer of the event, the Mon community has
been set back by a lack of trust, many want to build close relationship and
initiate a strong collective leadership. Mr. Hongsar
briefed the meeting in regard today event.
The participants exchanged their views about the current Mon social and
political situation. They mostly focused on education, media, employment and
leadership issues, and the pursuit of freedom and self-autonomy in
Nai Yeup,
the organizer of the meeting said, “we ought to
develop our thinking skills and build our own-capacity to enhance our goal for
freedom and democracy on
Nai Kun Yekha,
co-organizer of the meeting, briefed his statement on the role of Mon in the
media in line with current Mon social and political movements, saying that,
"The movement failed to achieve its public campaigns as it had lacked
media publicity over the last five decades. When we have access to the media,
many other organizations will come to play a vital role on Internet and world
media presentation.” Most participants
have great motivation to work for freedom and democracy in
Nine members wear elected as “Board Management” of the organization. Nai Kun Yekha and Nai Banya Hongsar took temporary posts as Central Coordinators to run the organization with seven other members. Nai Phon, chairperson of the meeting concluded, “we want to be home with freedom. This is the only reason we are here today”.
ENGLISH FOR ALL SHAN YOUTHS
(Kao-Wao,
The English and Computer Training class opened today at the
border in northern
The class was organized by the Youth from Shan State Working
Team and sponsored by various Shan communities and NGOs in
MON CULTURAL HERITAGE
MEETING HELD IN
(
The Second meeting of the Committee for Revitalization of
Mon Cultural Heritage was held at a Buddhist temple in
Last year in December, the Committee was formed in consensus to preserve the old palm leaves, which is stored at several Thai Mon monasteries and other related cultural heritage of the Mon people. The last founding meeting in 2001 has appointed Dr. Sued Gajaseni, the President of Thai Ramarn Association, Ms. Amphai Markmarn, the Chairperson of Mon Youth Community and a Mon history scholar Dr. Emmanuel Guillon as members of the Advisory Board.
Kao Wao News Group
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