KAO WAO NEWS No. 30

 

An electronic newsletter for social justice and freedom in Burma

No. 30, November 1-13, 2002

 

READER’S FRONT

MON APPEALS TO MONITOR DISPLACED PERSONS

FARMERS THROWN INTO A LIFE OF POVERTY

DRUG POSTERS FOR SALE

STATE CONSTITUTION SEMINARS HELD

KARENNI TALK PEACE

MAN KILLED BY POLICE INVESTIGATION

FORCED FUND RAISING CONTINUE IN MON STATE

USDA: ACT LOCALLY AND LIE GLOBALLY

 

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READER’S FRONT

 

Dear Readers,

 

On November 13 of last year the first issue of Kao-Wao was released to keep the Mon and the international community informed about the struggle for independence in Burma. Kao-Wao is a product of global news coverage, which has evolved over the past decade.  We are a community-based organization, founded by Mon activists and volunteers, who intend to illustrate the commitment of the ethnic nationalities to promoting peace and social justice in Burma. Our overall task is to improve the lives of the people of Burma and to provide information on the peace building process taking place within and outside of the country.

 

In a recent interview Jose Ramos-Horta, foreign minister of East Timor, commented that the media had played a vital role in creating his nation. Specifically, the Internet and 24-hour news programming that ignited concern for the people of East Timor.

 

We believe the Mon people and their culture have a role to play in promoting a strong sense of civic culture of positive social interchanges among Burma’s ethnic nationalities, including the Mon, to counter violence, deception, suspicion, and force.  The premise of our news coverage is based on a belief in the value of creating a new standard for cultivating self-aware citizens in order to foster long-term co-operation, security, stability and peace in the region.

 

With your help, we hope that Kao-Wao News will continue to grow to better 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 our 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

kaowao@hotmail.com

 

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MON APPEALS TO UN TO MONITOR DISPLACED PERSONS

(Kao-Wao/ Bangkok, November 1, 2002)

 

The umbrella organization of the Mon has asked the UN human rights envoy to allow the International Committee of Red Cross access into the areas of displaced persons.

 

Sunthorn, Sripanngern, General Secretary of the Mon Unity League, asked for ICRC access into the Mon area of internally displaced people at a meeting with the UN human rights special envoy, Mr. Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, in Bangkok on Wednesday afternoon.

 

According to an MUL spokesperson, the meeting was organized by Mr Nicholas Howen, UNHCR Regional Representative for Asia-Pacific, and attended by NGOs working on Burma and the Head of ICRC Regional Delegation for East Asia, Mr Jean-Marc Bornet.

 

"The Mons have suffered from countless human rights abuses committed not only by the military regime but sometimes committed by Mon armed groups, particularly in remote areas," said MUL leader Nai Sunthorn at the meeting held at the UN office in Bangkok. At the moment, several armed groups including SPDC troops are active in the so-called cease-fire zone of the Mon.  In fact the situation there is worse than before the cease-fire deal with the SPDC regime in 1995.

 

On his recent trip to Burma, Mr. Pinheiro spent three days in Mon and Karen States and met political prisoners in Moulmein prison. Mr. Pinheiro said the political prisoners were  not being tortured, since the ICRC representatives make regular visits to the prisons. On previous visits to Burma the UN human rights envoy made a strong case for the release of political prisoners, dialogue between military junta and the NLD, national reconciliation, humanitarian assistance and the rule of law.

 

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Life in Mon State

 

FARMERS THROWN INTO A LIFE OF POVERTY

(Kao-Wao, November 4, 2002)

 

Confiscation of land in Mon State by the Burmese army in August have brought increasing hardship to local villagers  through the loss of their land and food security.

 

Local battalions of the State Peace and Development Council based in Northern Ye township, Mon State, confiscated over 2000 acres of cultivated land that will increase poverty, according to Mawkanin villagers whose lands were seized by the Burmese army.  Most of the plantation lands in this area have been taken by force for the building of heavy artillery bases.

 

The land was confiscated last August shortly after a trip to the area by General Maung Bo, the junta chief who has oversight over Mon and Karen states and Tenasserim division. The farmers were forced to sign an agreement set out by the authorities for the seizure. The authorities allowed the farmers to produce rubber for three years before the land is seized. They will receive no compensation.

 

Nai Blai whose land was confiscated said it will lead to social unrest and local people will take up arms to resume fighting against the regime. Many people have lost their land, become jobless, and are looking for weapons to ambush the SPDC soldier who is guarding their old lands. Land just confiscated by the army for the (Battalion), has only a few soldiers guarding it, said Nai Blai.

 

According to a village headman, these lands are to be used for the expansion of Battalions 106 and 588.  The lands seized in this area are not for the purpose of building the battalion as the commander told the villagers, but will later be used for the army’s coffers to raise fund and deal in business ventures.  “If the SPDC is trying to build new battalions, about 50 or 60 acres of land will be enough, but they seized thousands acres of land to use for economic reasons,” complained a villager Nai Krake who escaped to the Thai-Burma border.

 

In August, General Maung Bo met the village headmen and farmers to inspect the site in Mon State explaining about the government’s plan to build an artillery battalion. The government seized 2,000 acres of land in Northern Ye after the General’s visit. The land was confiscated from local villagers and includes 600 acres belonging to Mokanin, Lamine Hnitkayin and DeinPeen villages, 500 acres between Jao-Khalae and Taungbon village, and 500 acres between Aung-Thayar and Leinmaw-Chan of Northern Ye Township, Mon State.

 

The abbot of a Buddhist monastery in Mawkanin village requested to the local commanders on behalf of the farmers not to seize the land, but the request was ignored by the military regime.

 

After the seizure, many villagers migrated to Thailand while those remaining in Mon State expressed their desire to take revenge on the army for the loss of their lands. The disappointed Buddhist monk said, “After their lands were taken, some farmers went to Thailand through the Three Pagodas Pass border, while other farmers went to Rangoon to apply for passports in order to find work in Singapore and Malaysia.”

 

Since 2000, confiscation of land in Ye township of Mon State has increased to accommodate the building of larger army bases.  According to a local administrator, over 5000 acres have been seized since then. Most fertile lands are valuable for plantations belonging to the Mon and Karen civilians. A Mon veteran politician from Ye complained, “There are ten new battalions added in Ye township since 2000.”

 

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DRUG POSTERS FOR SALE

(By Taramon /Kao-Wao, November 11, 2002)

 

Authorities in Mon State forcibly sold drug campaign posters to the local people, according to a bus driver in Mudon town, southern Burma.

 

The State Peace and Development Council in Mon State implemented a drug education programme in Mon State recently. The police in Mudon and Thanbyuzayat townships went to every village and forced the local villagers to buy the posters. The posters sold to local people have different prices: car drivers must pay 300 Kyats, motorcycle driver must pay 200 Kyats and small store owners in towns, villages and local villagers must pay 100 Kyats for a poster sheet.

 

“The forced support and donation is not new for the people in Mon State,” said a village headman from Mudon.

 

The Southeast Military Command also published Ramanya (Rehmonya) News and widely distributed it in Southern Burma. Civil servant offices, local Peace and Development Council townships and villager offices are forced to sell the bulletin for 25 Kyat per copy.

 

Drug trafficking is a heavy crime and punishment includes the death penalty, the poster reads. A community worker from Mon State complained, “Even though the junta received some support from the UN, Thai, and US governments to eradicate drugs, local authorities have abused it when they implement the project forcing us to buy into their programme”.

 

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Political development

 

STATE CONSTITUTION SEMINARS HELD

(Kao-Wao, November 11, 2002)

 

Two seminars on State Constitution for the future Burma organized by the Supporting Committee for State Constitutions Seminar (SCSC) were held in India and Thailand from November 1 to 6.

 

The meeting in Thailand was participated by 39 leaders from State Constitution Drafting Committees of Kachin, Karen, Karenni, Mon, Shan States, Burman State Constitution Studying Committee, Federal Constitution Committee, observers from NDF, UNLD-LA and international experts.  Nai Sunthorn and Nai WiMon of the Mon Unity League represented Mon State Constitution Drafting Committee at the meeting in Thailand

 

The seminar in India provided wide-ranging views to Arakan and Chin State Constitutions for the future federal Union of Burma and more than one hundred participants from Chin and Arakan Constitution Drafting Committee members, two representatives each from India and Bangladesh-based Burma democracy organizations and interested individuals participated in the seminar.  The speakers on Federalism included Mr. Yogendra Yadev (Center for Studies on Developing Societies) from India, Prof. Cheryl Saunders (University of Melbourne) from Australia and Dr. Chao Tzang Yawngwhe (Director of the National Reconciliation Program).

 

The Supporting Committee for State Constitutions Seminar (SCSC) was formed by the ethnic based United Nationalities League for Democracy (UNLD) and the armed ethnic umbrella organization, the National Democratic Front (NDF).

 

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KARENNI TALK PEACE

(Based on Irrawaddy and S.H.A.N, November 4-11, 2002)

 

Representatives from the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) led by Lt-Col Htoo Khar Rei left on November 4, 2002 for peace talks with the junta at Loi Kaw in Karenni State.  16 members from the KNPP traveled from their headquarters in Mae Hong Son, northern Thailand, to meet with officials from the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC).

 

According to Raymond Htoo, secretary general of the KNPP, the delegates will ask junta officials to cease: the forced relocation, using Karenni people as porters in the battlefield; collecting porter fees; planting landmines; killing innocent Karenni people; and, the sexual abuse of Karenni women.  On a national level, the KNPP will also call on the ruling junta to solve Burma’s political conflict, hold tripartite talks and declare a nationwide cease-fire with all ethnic nationality groups.

 

Since 1994 more than eight cease-fire agreements have been signed between the junta and Karenni representatives. The KNPP signed a cease-fire agreement with the junta in March 1995, but the Burmese army invaded a Karenni strong hold base on June 30 that year, terminating the cease-fire. "Burmese troops raided our land, apparently to suppress Khun Sa and to protect our sovereignty from the invasion of Thai army," explained Raymond Htoo. Sensing that the cease-fire was near breaking point, a KNPP delegation went to Rangoon to approach the SPDC and demand peace talks, just before the SPDC attack on the KNPP base in 1995. But the SPDC argued the Karenni people had already surrendered and that there was no need to talk. "The Burmese junta is always contacting our frontier commanders for talk, but they never want to speak to us. We have sent delegates to find out whether they want real peace or not," Raymond Htoo said.

 

On November 11, 2002, the Shan Herald Agency for News (S.H.A.N) reported as controversy looms over Karenni peace mission.

 

While several other sources, both Thai and dissident, believe Htoo Khar Rei and his 30-followers have surrendered to the military authorities, Karenni officials have maintained that their group is in Loikaw for the purpose of holding peace talks.

 

The Karenni leadership however, has been insistent that it was a misconception on the part of the public. "We still receive communications from him", according to Rimond Htoo, Secretary General of the KNPP. "We believe he is under some pressure form the junta to bend to its will. For instance, he was supposed to meet its representatives in Mawchi (some 50 miles from the border), but was taken to Loikaw (the capital of Kayah, as Karenni is officially known by the Burmese military, about 80 miles further north) instead."

 

One argument in Htoo's favor was that Rangoon was yet to make any announcement so far, according to some observers.  The KNPP issued an "Emergency Statement" on 31 October that Htoo Khar Ree left for Loikaw on the previous day to hold talks with Burmese officials on nationwide cease-fire and tripartite dialogue, among other topics.

 

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MAN KILLED DURING POLICE INVESTIGATION

(Based on an IMNA report: November 7, 2002)

 

On November 4, 2002, the Burmese police force killed a man during the investigation of the robbery of popular actress NanDar Hlaing.

 

Nai Mya Han, 45 years of age, a native of Mae Pa Rang village in Kya-Inn Seik-Kyi Township was arrested on October 29 and charged with robbery and assault of NanDar Hlaing, a popular actress from Mon State, during her entertainment tour at Let Tet village on October 25.

 

Nai Han was beaten several times during questioning at Mudon Police Station, Mon State, and remained unconscious for many hours.  Due to this torture by the police he died in his cell, a close relative said. The victim was taken into custody for robbing the actress at the main entrance of Kyiek Roy village, Mudon Township.  The Mudon police force arrested Nai Han and several hundred villagers who had criminal records for questioning. 

According to the Kyeik Roy village headman, thirty people form his village were detained in order to find the robbers of Burma’s popular actress

 

Nandar Hlaing was travelling with Rev. Kesara, the abbot of Kyeik TaLone Hill who organized for the festival to celebrate the opening of a new pagoda.  According to a local source, an armed gang abducted the actress and the monks and released them after taking all her personal belongings. She was later released after the monk.

 

The local reporter said there was no clear evidence that Nai Han was the villager involved in the attack because the armed gang was well equipped during the kidnap.

 

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FORCED FUND RAISING CONTINUE IN MON STATE

(By Taramon/ Kaowao, November 9, 2002)

 

The Mon State Police Force organized a fund raising concert and forced civilians in every township to buy the theatre tickets.

 

The Independent Mon News Agency reported last month that a ticket for a sheet of mat (for four or five people) was being sold for 1,500 Kyats by the police. The police in different townships in Mon State forced car drivers, motorcycle drivers and store owners to buy the tickets. The police also ordered the village headman to sell them among the villagers.

 

A village headman from Ye said every village had to buy 40 tickets at a minimum. Even though some famous actresses performed in the concert, the poor local people couldn’t afford the tickets. “The rural civilians who were forced to buy the tickets couldn’t even get to see the concert because they do not live in towns where the concert will take place,” complained a bus driver.

 

The concert will be shown at Thanbyuzayat town on November 14.  The performers will tour around every township with their caravan.

 

Last year, a similar theatre concert organized by the Mon State Police Force also toured around the state for fund raising purposes. The police force has arranged the theater after the rainy season.

 

Meanwhile, other government-organized groups such as the USDA, the Myanmar Mother and Children Care Organization and Myanmar Women’s Organization have been obliging the public to buy their calendars to raise funds. The people in Mon State have suffered in many different ways through these forced fund raising methods and illegal tax collections by the military regime.  Local authorities and Tatmadaw (army) are the main actors in these abuses, said a retired officer from Ye, in Mon State.

 

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Opinion

 

USDA: ACT LOCALLY AND LIE GLOBALLY

(By Banya Hongsar, Bangkok)

 

In recent years the Burmese government has organized a Non-Governmental Organization (GONGO) for local teenagers in Mon and Karen State in order to promote employment opportunities in Malaysia, but this is nothing but a facade. It is typical of a Burmese NGO that is often linked to the military elite.

 

'Show me the money’ is the motto of the western world, but for the ambitious of Burma the real life, though, often comes down to: 'Tell me where the money is'.  This is the reality of 40 million people who have to make a difficult choice between questionable alternatives.

 

Opportunity never knocks twice in Burmese politics though. The Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) took advantage of the young people who pine to migrate to Malaysia and launched a public relations campaign to those interested in going to Malaysia to seek employment in February of this year in Kyeik Ma Yaw Township, Mon State. But isn’t there something sinister to be read into all this?

 

What happens is that many teenagers in Mon and Karen States are forced into membership with the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) and are enticed to foreign countries to seek a better life.  The whole scheme is a ploy because there is no potential employment in Malaysia for unskilled labor.  Currently, hundreds of thousands of Mon illegal workers have returned home from Malaysia to Thailand and Burma.

 

According to an official statement released by USDA on 20 February 2002 in Burmese, as an arrangement of the head of the state authority, the USDA plans to select local members of the organization to find employment in Malaysia in order to increase foreign currency and membership of the association.

 

The statement mentions in its selection criteria that 'a candidate must finish 8th standard and must not be linked to any political parties'.  There is more to this than meets the eye—or ear, that the USDA itself is de facto political party of Union Solidarity Party (CH) sponsored by the current military regime. Precisely, according to a mission statement of the organization: ‘a cause of maintaining long life for the Union of Burma' is a prime objective of the organization.  If a candidate cannot be a member of political party he/ she then cannot be a member of USDA.

 

Once they are members, young Mon and others are expected to attend regular monthly meetings and other arranged training courses.  According to a mobile reporter of the Independent Mon News Agency, in December 2000 Vice Chief of Police Force Kyin Thein, called USDA members for  secret training.  The course was designed to train young members to be recruited as military informers and local campaigners for the USDA.  The course has focused on psychological warfare attached to opposition groups. This will do nothing but further damage understanding between the ethnic groups.

 

The role of the USDA in every Mon village is organized according to a planned 'strategy mind mapping' and 'agenda setting'. It’s part of the regime’s propaganda machine, an insidious network that undermines local Mon civil society. The Mon Literature and Cultural Committee, mostly led by Buddhist monks and local scholars, cannot ignore the systematic discrimination toward the Mon population by the Burmese regime that has gone on now for the last three centuries or so.  Young Mon boys and girls are forced to become members but are not rewarded for their efforts; they have no access to educational or technological programs but face an uncertain future, while their families struggle to feed themselves.

 

Now let’s understand what we are talking about. It’s all the same old predictable stuff: the lock ups, the intimidation and harassment.  In a special meeting in Mon State in August of 2002, Major General Ohn Myint was highly critical of the current political happenings in Burma. He said: “You all are urged to closely monitor the moves of the NLD, but say nothing about it to anyone.  You are to block developments.” The Burmese regime is as crafty as it has always been at fooling the international community, but it doesn’t surprise local politicians. The old dictator (General Ne Win) could not renew his face or style of doing the business of politics. But his successors, his inner circle of military elites, remained to continue to hammer out policies for their own national interests.

 

The government of Burma, under the control of the current military regime is on the wrong path to transition while giving the message to its citizens and to the world community that Burma is turning a new leaf in nation building and politics.  Massive public relations campaigns have been conducted unprofessionally in the country, which will only fuel internal political instability.  The regime should be eager to seek confidence building and the transfer of power. Since at least 1962, colossal wastes of human talent have been staples of the Burmese unhealthy political diet. That the potential of these young boys and girls of the Mon population are swept aside for a program that uses them for its own political agenda bodes nothing but ill for the future of the country. Young people are the future. The government should instead prepare for a proper and peaceful transition to ensure power to the younger generation. Further to constructing a social foundation that details democracy to strengthen civil society by including the diversity of cultures of Burma.

 

In this spirit, perhaps the sane choice is try to live with everyone in peace by understanding them. A climate of tolerance among all groups should be fostered. Blame shouldn’t be directed at any one group. Leaders of the country on all sides have a moral and social obligation to protect and provide sufficient resources for the sustainability of the country.

 

Old and young generations alike are seeking every opportunity for a better future. The question is who can give the right message to our younger generation to lead the way to a brighter future for Burma.

 

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KAO WAO NEWS GROUP

Email: kaowao@hotmail.com, Phone: 66-1 561-0860

 

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Kao-Wao Newsgroup is committed to social justice, peace, and democracy in Burma. We hope to be able to provide more of an in-depth analysis that will help to promote lasting peace and change within Burma. Editors, reporters, writers, and overseas volunteers are dedicated members of the Mon activist community based in Thailand. Our motto is working together for lasting peace and change.

 

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