KAO WAO NEWS No. 22
An electronic newsletter for social justice and
freedom in Burma
No. 22, June 26-
READERS' FRONT
BORDER OFFICES CLOSE AFTER WARNING
BREAKAWAY LEADER AIMS TO BUILD CONSENSUS
MON POLITICIANS URGE COMPROMISE
NMSP EXPRESS DISSATISFACTION WITH THAI
ANTI THAI RALLY SPREADS TO
WORLD CUP 2002:
ARAKAN
DRUG DEALERS ARRESTED BY NMSP
RAPE USED AS WEAPON OF WAR
READERS' FRONT
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Thai-Burma Border Tension
BORDER OFFICES CLOSE AFTER WARNING
(Kao-Wao,
After Thai Defence Minister ordered authorities to arrest
minority groups operating in
The Bangkok Post on
"Leaders and core members of ethnic minority rebels
often sneak into the towns and hold meetings here and there in Chiang Mai,
Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son," he said. Gen Chavalit said
if found in
Since the order of the Defence Minister, many NGOs offices including relief, health and women volunteers in Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces were closed and are keeping silent. A social worker from Chiang Mai said it is difficult to work under this condition because the government has no policy in dealing with the Burmese junta.
The order also affected Karnchanaburi
Province of South Western Thailand where military local units closely monitor
checkpoints preventing insurgents, refugees and migrants
crossing over into
BREAKAWAY LEADER AIMS TO BUILD CONSENSUS
(Kao-Wao,
Colonel Pan Nyunt, the leader of Hongsawatoi
Restoration Party, made his first visit to
At a monastery near
In an interview with Kao Wao, Col. Pan Nyunt talked about the abduction of NMSP leader Nai Rot Sa, he explained that, " Nai Rot Sa is also our respected leader and politician. I can't tell you everything about what we have discussed. But we brought him only to discuss the future of Mon national affairs, we will bring him back very soon after our discussion".
Kao-Wao insisted that the abduction of Nai Rot Sa is not a peaceful action, as he was taken by force, the militant leader replied: "Time will give the true answer". Adding that while NMSP's agrees to a cease-fire with the junta, which is in conflict with HRP's vow to fight, he felt that they (NMSP) are of the same spirit as (HRP), both of us love to serve the Mon people.
MON POLITICIANS URGE COMPROMISE
(Kao-Wao,
Australia based Mon National Council issued a statement urging the New Mon State Party and Hongsawatoi Restoration Party to avoid renewed conflict among the Mon people.
The statement, comprised of seven recommendations, co-signed
by Nai Than Tin, Nai Pe
Thein Zar and Nai Shwe Lwin, urged both sides to
restrain from fighting each other. It
said problems and conflict should be solved through peaceful political means
and communication; that individuals restrain from armed conflict with other Mon
fighters; to avoid arresting soldiers from the other side; to let soldiers move
freely, and not to take action against those who join other armed forces. The statement released on
The three former Central Committee members of NMSP, Nai Than Tin, Nai Pe Thein Zar and Nai Shwe Lwin resettled in
The statement from the Mon politicians was supported by the General Secretary of the Mon Unity League Nai Sunthorn Sripanngern. Talking from the Thailand Burma border with Kao-Wao, MUL leader said the negotiation between the two groups failed because both sides are reluctant to negotiate seriously and to act upon advise by the negotiation mission team.
The Hongsawatoi Restoration Party abducted a senior leader of the New Mon State Party, Nai RotSa and his assistant on June 18, 2002 in eastern part of Ye, Mon State while he was traveling along Ye river to the NMSP headquarters. Following this incident, various Mon communities expressed concern about conflict between the two groups, while HRP and NMSP have made no formal statements for reconciliation.
Inside
NMSP EXPRESS
DISSATISFACTION WITH THAI
(Kao-Wao
The New Mon State Party issued an opinion statement on the
current Mon conflict and expressed disappointment with the Thai authorities
allowing HRP to set up a base in
Talking from headquarters, a senior leader of NMSP concluded that the Thai authorities should reconsider their relations with the breakaway group Hongsawatoi Restoration Party led by Colonel Pan Nyunt. The leading body of the NMSP, Central Executive Committee, called an ad-hoc meeting at NyiSar, the strong hold area of NMSP and issued the statement regarding the abduction of its Secretary General Nai RotSa by the HRP.
The CEC (Central Executive Committee) statement said the NMSP was disturbed with the Thai authorities for permitting the HRP military and medical training, and for allowing it to hold the NMSP leader in Thai territory. The statement also protested against the aggressive action of HRP by taking its leaders as ransom to pressure the NMSP and has demanded his release immediately.
But a former member of NMSP said the statement was way off
the mark in setting up negotiations between the
After the cease-fire agreement between the NMSP and the
Burmese military junta on
(Based on The Nation and
In defiance of its reputation of being non-confrontational,
over two hundred Thai military radio stations struck back at the Burmese
government's denunciation of
Beginning June 26, several commentaries broadcasted the
Burmese government's failure at maintaining peace in the ethnic areas. In
strongly worded statements, Thai radio announcers blamed the Burmese government
for not honoring the Panglong agreement of 1947, a historical situation that
goes back to the time when
Furthermore, the Burmese government's continues to exercise
legitimate ties with the ethnic Wa who are responsible
for the huge influx of drugs. Adding
that: " As long as the Burmese government continues to suppress the ethnic
minority groups and refuses to embrace democracy, the fighting will continue?[and] unless
Defense Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh resisted waging a war of words but finally
gave in when his personal advisors and military officers convinced him to do
otherwise. Chavalit and the defense ministry wanted
to solve the problem through diplomatic means but the military argued that the
Thai monarchy was insulted and something needed to be done. Chavalit
ordered the counter attack to shut down on June 28, shortly after on June 30
there were signals that
ANTI THAI RALLY
SPREADS OUT TO
(Kao-Wao,
Mass rallies denouncing Thai and ethnic insurgents took
place in
The rally at Sittway,
The columns were ordered to march to the city sports ground
in the rain, chant slogans denouncing Shan and Karen insurgents as
drug-traffickers against the sovereignty of the state. Similar to other rallies, the USDA leader
served as master of ceremonies explaining how insurgents were encroaching on
security and peace at border areas and the people of
The speakers repeatedly accused Thai (Yodaya)
as supporters of Shan and Karen insurgents, and who lack good-neighbourly practices in attacking
WORLD CUP 2002:
(Reported by Gong Ong,
At the height of World Cup fever, people from
Gambling enthusiasts in
With very few outlets for entertainment, those who watch the
matches are mostly men, when the game was highly competitive the theatre would
fill to capacity. People are drawn to
the hotels to bet from anywhere from a thousand to a million Kyats, according
to a gambler from
RaeJae a teenager who has never been abroad and who lives in a country that has little contact with the outside world knows all the soccer stars such as Ronaldo, Beckham and Owen. He lives in Durae, Ye township, where there are six satellite dishes in the village. Villagers also gather to gamble with one another. Mi Myint from Wae Galong village said her husband went to Thanbyu Zayat town to watch the World Cup and stayed away for over 3 nights. She argued with her husband to come home but to no avail, he lost 100,000 Kyats.
Layeh, a migrant worker who just
returned from Paung, northern
A former
According to an article from
The Arakan Independence Bulletin reported that the residents
of Sittwe, the capital of
But like elsewhere in
ARAKAN
Arakan Independence Bulletin was published in the liberated area to give free voice among Arakanese freedom fighters in their struggle for freedom and self-determination.
The first volume of the bi-lingual Bulletin was distributed in June to Arakanese readers and overseas friends. The 20-page black and white bulletin with simple layout, comprised of editorial, poetry, news and articles in Arakanese and English languages.
Quoted from the article of the Bulletin, the population of
Arakan today is approximately five million, comprised of seven indigenous
peoples inhabiting the State, including the Mro
(Khami), Thauk (Chakama), Dainuk, Maramagree (Brua), Kamen (Muslim), Mron and Arakanese.
Khaing Munn Nyo, the Editor of the Arakan Independence Bulletin said the bulletin aims for freedom of expression among the Arakan people. Many publications are distributed in the liberated area with a focus on the policies of their respected parties and organizations. Khaing served as the Deputy In Charge of Foreign Affairs of NUPA (National United Party of Arakan), but the bulletin is independent from any party and is self-funded.
DRUG DEALERS ARRESTED BY NMSP
(Kao Wao/ NMSP, Sangkhalaburi,
The New Mon State Party arrested three villagers of Palai
According to the liaison office of the NMSP, Nai Ong, 45
years old, a former village headman and Nai Goon bought two thousand pills from
two Karen nationals at Phayathonezu (
Three Thais, two women and a man,
came to the border seeking Yaba with Ah Too, Nai Goon
and Nai Ong at
Nai Goon and Nai Ong were in contact with three Thai through Nai Ohn who live in the same village. Three villagers are under interrogation by NMSP and the Thai authorities are also looking for the three Thai who fled at the western border.
RAPE USED AS WEAPON OF WAR
(Kao-Wao,
In a recent press release, Shan Women's Action Network expressed gratitude to the U.S. State Department's comment on a report published by the Shan Human Rights Foundation and the Shan Women's Action Network.
The report documents 173 incidents of rape, involving brutality, of which 25% ended in death and which puts forth a strong case for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The U.S. State Department commented: "We are appalled
by reports that the Burmese military is using rape as a weapon of war against
civilian populations in the Shan States. We have raised our concern with the
Burmese regime and urged them to fully investigate any and all allegations of
the systematic rape of ethnic minority girls and women in
Meanwhile, a day after the State Department's comment,
SWAN and SHRF, welcomed and appreciated calls by Congresswomen Ileana Ros.Leehtinen and Cynthia McKinneyon to the SPDC to end such heinous of sexual violence and other atrocities. The two groups call on the international community to speak out strongly against the military regime for their crimes, including sexual violence and other crimes. They also call on the United Nations to set up a fact-finding mission to investigate sexual violence and other crimes against humanity committed by the SPDC and its army. The report is available on the Internet www.shanland.org/shrf/shrf-frame.htm.
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