KAO WAO NEWS GROUP
An electronic newsletter for social justice and
freedom in Burma
No. 41, March 27 -
READER’S FRONT
NEW MON STATE PARTY
REFORMED
REFUGEES TORTURE BY
BURMESE ARMY
OLD MAN BEATEN FOR
NOT SELLING RICE
LAND CONFISCATION FOR
POLICE STATION
MON MUSIC THRIVES
DESPITE ASSIMILATION
ARAKAN YOUTHS
COORDINATE
LOST IN THE WESTERN
BORDER
CANADIAN MON WOMEN
ORGANIZAION
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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
http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=1215&lo=d&sl=0
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On Kanbawza Win
Dear Kao-Wao,
Like no doubt many of your readers, I was appalled to learn
of the ICG’s attempt to gag Professor Kanbawza Win in your December edition. I was delighted
therefore to read in your last edition that he is still telling it as he sees
it. The reality of the situation in
Professor Win has an engaged, passionate style free of any
pretence of false neutrality, which is refreshingly different from the staid
academic norm. Yet, his assertions are always supported by evidence. Hardly the sign of irrationality. As a teacher I found
Professor Win’s comparative study of the coups in
I suspect that what the Professor has fallen
victim to is what I would describe as the ideology of “aid-ism”. That is the
assumption that the maximisation of aid in and of
itself must necessarily equate with the greatest good. At its’ core is faith in
the idea that aid (even of the most tokenistic band-aid variety) is the superior
moral course par excellence and thus has a mandate to override all other
considerations. For it’s proponents this is a taken
for granted self-evident fact. An assumption that they cannot
even imagine not being universally shared except by the criminally insane.
Professor Win’s “crime” was to strike at the neutralist assumptions propping up
this holy cow.
Behind this stands the old nemesis of pacifism. I hold
pacifism to be morally bankrupt because it writes a blank check for oppression.
More than that it reduces complex issues to simple relativist
absurdities that hold all antagonists in a conflict to be moral equivalents.
Because it automatically assumes the moral high ground it is self-righteous and
intolerant of dissent. “Aid-ism” if you will, takes this one step further to an
abhorrence of politics. This is expressed in bland assertions that the politics
of any particular region, such as
Recent history however, does not support this contention.
Everywhere from
That free speech and open debate should be sacrificed on the alter of humanitarian aid is not only ironic but as
striking a proof of a weak ideology as could ever be found. Strong ideas do not
require the defence of censorship.
Yours sincerely,
D.J. O’Hanlon.
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Dear Kao-Wao
Articles like the MI and prostitutes in
Uncle Eugene
(
Dear Editor,
Thank you very much for sending these
important news. I appreciate all your hard working. I hope you will send more
accurate information.
Yours sincerely,
Lawi Weng
Hi Kao-Wao,
Your news piece (“USDA Train Villagers to Lie International
Institutions” Kao-Wao 39) is interesting. It's
very important to know more details... as you know SPDC is using sophisticated
techniques these days... engaging and abusing, methods..
we need to expose their tricks to the world.
TT
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Mon National Affairs
NEW MON STATE PARTY
REFORMED
(Kao-Wao,
After the funeral of its long time President, New Mon State
Party elected new leaders for both political and military wings according to
the source from the Party.
The former Vice-President Nai Htin was chosen as the President replacing Nai Shwe Kyin
who died last month at the capital of
Nai Htin,
a long time freedom fighter from LeTark near Mudon, joined the Party soon after it was founded and he is
well-respected by majority population and grass roots for his down to earth
attitude and loyalty to the protracted national revolution. Despite his
old age and the offer of a place to live in the city, this humble leader
continues to live with his comrades at the jungle headquarters of the NMSP at BeeRee in southern
Nai Hongsar
was promoted to the position of Secretary General. He is close to the
armed ethnic groups that the NMSP is allied with and has been branded as a
hard-liner by the regime for his strong opposition to the cease-fire
deal. A moderate, young leader, Nai Chan Toi was elected as the Joint Secretary General replacing Nai Hongsar’s former position.
Nai Rot Sa
was selected as Vice President together with General Htow
Mon during the five-day meeting at the party’s headquarters near Ye in southern
Nai Shwe
Thein, an Executive Central Committee member, said
the new President is not taking the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Mon
Army.
Traditionally, the President is automatically chosen as
Commander-in-Chief but the meeting nominated Vice President (1) General Htow Mon instead.
Vice-President (2) Nai Rot Sa is obliged for Political and Administrative Affairs.
“The change is a normal process within a democratic system
and a good change to name two Vice-Presidents to share the responsibility of
assisting the 82 year-old President. The party is now structured with
nine members of Central Executive Committee, twenty-seven members of Central
Committee and seven members of Military Command”, he added.
The Military Command of the Mon National Liberation Army
(MNLA), the military wing of the Party, has also been reformed with old and new
leaders.
A spokesperson from the MNLA said the seven Command members
comprised General Htow Mon, General Aung Naing, Col. Joel-Yeh, Col. Kao Rot, Nai Lawee Ong, Nai
Layeh GaKao and Nai Saik Htow.
Surprisingly, Colonel Joel Yeh was
elected as a new member of Central Executive Committee and Joint-Secretary of
Military Command.
He reported by phone that the situation after the cease-fire
agreement with regime has no political solution and that the overall
(situation) is not improving. The party is now coordinating with all
forces including overseas
According to a spokesperson of the NMSP, the Party will not
change its cease-fire policy with the Burmese military regime any time soon,
despite doubt expressed about it after the death of President Nai Shwe Kyin.
About 50,000 Mon supporters and 200 Buddhist monks and over
a thousand vehicles crowded the funeral of the Mon national leader held in
A retired NMSP leader said the changes in leadership at this
time were positive, that there were representatives from moderate, compromised
and hard-line factions. Even though the party is not satisfied with the
current political situation, it may not be in a position to oppose the
(cease-fire) deal since the regime has systematically weakened the movement by
expanding military bases close to the area controlled by the NMSP.
Nai Shwe
Kyin founded the NMSP in July 1958 when the Mon
Peoples Front (MPF) surrendered to the U Nu’s
parliamentary government declaring to Mon supporters that it was an exchange of
arms for democracy. The 91-year leader retained the position of party
President right up until his death in
The party reached a cease-fire agreement with the Burmese
military in June 1995 and controls areas in
**********************************************************
Crimes Against Humanity
REFUGEES TORTURED BY
BURMESE ARMY
(Kao-Wao,
A source from the Halockhanee
refugee camp reports that two men were arrested and tortured by the Burmese
Army near Thailand-Burma border.
Nai Prik
and Nai Dit, refugees, from
the Mon camp were arrested by the Burmese army on March 17 and severely wounded
as a result of being tortured all night.
The men were arrested by the Light Infantry Battalion No.
583 led by Colonel Nyo Hmaing
and Captain Min Naung near the Halockhanee
camp while cutting weeds to make brooms outside the camp. The two were taken by
the troops and accused of having contact with a Mon insurgent group led by
Colonel Pan Nyunt.
The two reported to the camp refugee committee that the
Burmese soldiers had covered their faces, burned their bodies with cigarette
butts and beaten them with rifles and rolled bamboo over their knees all night.
Nai Lone Htow,
the chairman of the refugee camp, said the two villagers knew nothing about the
accusations and that they had been severely tortured.
They were released only after an officer from the New Mon
State Party made a formal request.
The victims have suffered internal pain and vomited blood, a
Mon health worker said.
Even though the area close to the Halockhanee
camp is controlled by the Mon cease-fire group, the Burmese army sometimes intrudes
in the area to repair the dry season motor road from Ye to
Last month, three Mon refugees were beaten and later
released by the SPDC soldiers. At the moment, refugees dare not even go outside
the camp to collect vegetables, out of fear at what could happen to them.
*******************************************
Life in
OLD MAN BEATEN FOR
NOT SELLING RICE
(Based on IMNA,
A 71- year old man was arrested and tortured in a lock-up by
local police for failing to sell his paddy quota to the government in
Nai Lar
was detained at Nyaung Pin Seik
Police Station, near the capital city of
Police officer Maung Toe beat Nai Lar for failing to provide
the 12 baskets per acre set by the government. The old man farms14
acres of land but was only able to provide 20 baskets of paddy because of
flooding in last year’s rainy season.
According to a local source, other farmers, Mi Myaing (age 60), Nai So (age 60)
and Nai Lar’s wife, Mi Koo were also detained on April 2 at Tararnar
Police station for not providing the full amount of paddy. After being in
detention for three nights, the three Mon farmers were transferred to Nyaung Pin Seik. The police
then released Mi Koo but detained her husband Nai Lar on the same day. Nai So was released after he
signed an agreement to make the paddy quota payment.
Police Officer Maung Toe
handcuffed farmers and beat the old man at about
The two farmers were not given meals or drinking water for
several days. After his mistreatment and torture at the police station, Nai Lar was sent to Kyaik Ma Yaw hospital from where he was transferred to
“What a nightmare to our life, to have my father beaten by
the Burmese police on the same day as our Mon leader Nai
Shwe Kyin died,” said Nai Pok Pha,
the victim’s son.
The military government insists that farmers are obliged to
sell the full amount of paddy set out by law. Otherwise, they must return
their land or farm to the state.
****************************************************
The radio station reported that an argument started when Ko Moe Moe Aye, a 17-year old
student, was stopped and fined by traffic police for not wearing a helmet while
she was riding a motorcycle with her friend.
Students from the campus said that the traffic officer
dragged the girl from the motorcycle along with her friend near the
headquarters of the Mon State Police on March 6. Moe Moe
Aye was pushed to the ground and her head was injured. When she lost
consciousness, she was sent to
Later she was fined by the police.
A
The students presented a complaint about the case to Col Aung Maw Maw of the Township
Peace and Development Council demanding that the traffic officer be charged and
legal action taken against him.
After they returned to the campus, acting on orders from
local authorities, the university administration forced the students to sign a
statement promising not to take further action against the State.
A businessman from Kyaik-Maraw
said many motorcycle accidents had occurred in
**********************************************
Human rights in the Palaung area
LAND CONFISCATED FOR
POLICE STATION
(Based on a PYNG report,
As in other parts of
Acting on orders of the Commander of the North-Eastern
Command, the State Peace and Development Council is planning to build a modern
town in Mang Tong township,
the second capital of Palaung cease-fire group’s
Special Region No 7.
The Palaung source said fifteen
houses in Talet village, along the Kalar Kon - Mang
Tong road had been relocated by the army since
The army also confiscated 10 acres of land belonging to four
local farmers to construct a new village.
The local source reported, on
The victims sent a petition to local authorities, but were
later warned that those who did not obey the rules and laws of the State would
face legal action. Since their lands were taken by force, the farmers who
depend on them for their living have lost their jobs and are facing hardship,
reported a villager who fled to the border.
*****************************************
MON MUSIC THRIVES
DESPITE ASSIMILATION
(Reported by Gong Mon)
Geeta Mon, the popular Mon band
from
The leading Mon singers, Zahan
Mon, Hong Chan, ParMaukha Chan and Banya Htow attracted a lively
crowd of fans; the popular Mon band upstaged the more flashy Thai entertainers
at the festival.
The event was a birthday festival for a well-known and
respected Mon Buddhist monk, Venerable Uttama, who
lives in the Thailand-Burma border town. Local and visitors, including monks, joined
in the birthday celebration. Thai movies, the Mon band and Mon Htow Kyaing, dance troupes from Monland, provided colorful and lively entertainment during
the festival.
Mon bands occasionally play in
At the birthday ceremony for the Abbot in Sangkhlaburi, the Mon musicians attracted people of all age
groups, but especially the young people who were eager to socialize and make
friends. The social atmosphere at the concert was carefree, with people
laughing and smiling at one another. The younger generation, wearing
their colourful sarongs, sang along to the words
played by Geeta Mon. Others smoked homemade
cigars and chewed betel nut while socializing and joyfully greeting each other
in the Mon country manner. They outnumbered Thai security forces and people
from the local Thai community.
Originally, the band was to play for only two nights but
this was extended to another night at the request of the audience of
supporters, reported by DVB Radio, Mon language program.
While the Mon face discrimination
and restrictions in
Back home in
“I was delighted to hear Mon spoken everywhere even in
downtown
During the last two years, Mon VCD Karaoke has produced
seven CDs. At the beginning of this year we have already produced one",
said Nai Rong Dain, a music storeowner from
During the next year, we hope to produce six VCDs, our community is thrilled to have them all and we
don't need to sing along in other languages because we have our own
Karaoke," he said.
"We are also hoping to produce more of the Mon VCD
Karaoke, as soon as we possibly can," another producer said
enthusiastically.
**********************************************
ARAKAN YOUTHS
COORDINATE
(Kao-Wao,
Arakan youth recently who met at
the Thai-Burma border formed a coordinating committee to establish unity among Arakan youths and coordinate with others.
The Arakan Youth Coordinating
Committee (AYCC) was formed as a result of the gathering by members of various
organizations and individuals.
The Arakan Sangha
Union (ASU), the All Arakan Students and Youth
Congress (AASYC), the Arakan League for Democracy
Youth (ALD-Youth), the Arakan Youth Network Group
(AYNG), the Labour Union of Arakan
(LUA), the Rakhaing Patriotic Literature Club (RPLC)
and other individuals joined in the Arakan Youth
Seminar from 29-31 March 2003, near the Thai-Burma Border to plan for a future
networking.
According to Oo Thein Maung, a member of the
Working Group, the aims of the Committee include working for
The meeting elected seven members to a Facilitating Team and
four members to a Working Group.
***********************************************
Migrant Watch
LOST AT THE WESTERN
BORDER
(By a special reporter,
Many prisoners from
“The word ‘R/P’ means Released Prisoners of Myanmar. They
have already been
released by law since their prison
terms have finished. But they are still detained in various
Most of the fishermen in these prisons belong to the Mon and
Arakan nationalities of
Even though their prison terms had finished, only a handful
of prisoners have been released through the advocacy of the UNHCR and human
rights groups in
A total of 585 Burmese prisoners (R/P) are stuck in the
The vast majority, the 334
prisoners, who are under detention due to illegal fishing in Thai boats are
from
The document said these inmates are transferred among jails
in
They live in congested spaces with limited water and poor
sanitary services, and many suffer from chronic malnutrition, which exposes
them to disease and hampers their physical and mental development.
Over the past few years about 40 of these prisoners have
died in various jails. They include 7 from Cox's Bazar,
4 from Rangamati, 6 from Comilla,
5 from Sylet, 2 from
According to a report by Nai Aung Shwe, 14 of the prisoners
who have passed away are from Mon state, 5 from Rakhaing
state, 2 from
The report shows that many of the inmates are HIV positive
and that 7 have died of HIV/AIDS over the last few years because of lack of
treatment.
Fishermen Tin Oo, Nai Ong, from
Hoping for help from the Burmese Embassy, inmates in
On
According to witnesses, the prison floor was red with blood
from their injuries. Fifty were so badly wounded that they had to be
taken to outside hospitals for treatment.
On
It is estimated that there are over 600 inmates from
The UNHCR in
At present, there are 198 Burmese's prisoners (R/Ps) at Bandaban in Cox's Bazar, 245 in Comilla, 152 in Rangamati, Sylet, Norwakhali
in total 585.
All the prisoners complain about the indifference of the military
government to their condition: “We who are under detention at
On behalf of the inmates, Nai Aung Shwe requests that all for
their uncertain fate in the
*****************************************
International
activism
CANADIAN MON WOMEN
ORGANIZAION
(Kao-Wao,
The first Mon women organization in
Women group in
Mon women were encouraged by speeches from leaders of Mon
Cultural Society and Dr. Simon Bryant from the Medical Mercy
The opening ceremony of a Mon Language Class, organized by
the Mon Cultural Society (MCS), was also held at the same place followed by the
women’s meeting. The
The aims of the MCS are to promote and preserve the culture,
literature, and social life of the Mon and to assist the Mon in the homeland
and in exile.
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