KAO WAO NEWS No 54

An electronic newsletter for social justice and freedom in Burma

September October 2-14, 2003

**********************************************
READERS' FRONT

TEACHERS JOIN DEFENSE TRAINING

SOUTHERN TROPICAL FOREST IN DANGER

ACTIVISTS DISCUSS ROAD MAP FOR DEMOCRACY

MON LANGUAGE BOOKS SCRUTINIZED

ILLEGAL TRADE AND CORRUPTION ON THAI-BURMA BORDER

A MAN WITH A MISSION: MIGRANTS GIVE BACK

THAILAND STRUGGLES TO HALT HUMAN TRAFFICKING

WILL THE ROAD MAP SOLVE PROBLEMS IN BURMA?

HAPPY IN INSEIN

****************************************

READERS' FRONT

Dear Readers,

Please visit our new website at www.kaowao.org.  We are grateful to the Mon Cultural Society of Calgary (Canada) and Pon Nya Mon of Monland Restoration Council (MRC-USA) for supporting KaoWao's domain and the communication cost.  We invite our subscribers to send in articles, news and photos to develop our website.

We also 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 and freedom in Burma. We hope that it will become an important forum for discussion and debate and help 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

http://www.kaowao.org

-------------------------------------------------

Dear KaoWao,

I am glad the Mons are actively participating in discussion.  The voices of all ethnic groups need to be heard. Sometimes those voices may be considered crazy and preposterous, but they need to be heard and discussed.  Case in point is the idea of returning to a Mon State encompassing 90 cities. Between this and the position of the maha bama unitary state, we will find a happy compromise. We must be logical and realistic and work together to succeed.

Richard Aung-Myint

Fremont, CA

************************************

State Paranoid by international pressure

TEACHERS JOIN DEFENSE TRAINING

(Kao Wao: October 4, 2003)

Public schools in Thanbyu Zayat had to change their teaching schedule after all civil servants were ordered to attend the “State Defense Force” training in town.

All schoolteachers and government employees must attend the training; their normal school time has shifted to adjust to a training time according to IMNA news.

Schools are open from 8 am to 1 pm in October. Civil servants in Thanbyu Zayat are divided into groups and ordered to attend the training in the Burma Army compound located about 5 miles from the city.  The teachers are ordered to join the training after school hours in the afternoon.  

A trader who recently arrived to the Thai border reported the civil servants in Mudon Township are also to attend similar training at the Infantry Battalion No. 209 of BA.

“In Mudon the training is from 10 am to 12 pm in the morning and 1 to 3 in the afternoon.  The training is done in shifts, leaving one half to teach in the schools,” he said. 

The source from Ye reported that government employees in Ye also are to attend the training at the Infantry Battalion No. 61. 

“When it’s raining, we learn only in the class.  It’s a waste of time and money and we lose our time at work”, said a trainee from southern Ye Township.  

The authorities also collect money from the civilians to cover the expenses of the training and trainees must buy a uniform with their own money.  

The BA instructs trainees on how to use small arm weapons and employ propaganda mechanisms to defend the State against foreign invasion and other destructive elements as defined by the SPDC authorities.

**********************************************

Environmental Disaster

SOUTHERN TROPICAL FOREST IN DANGER

(IMNA: October 3, 2003)

A pro Rangoon outfit, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), has cut thousands of logs in southern Burma including in areas occupied by the local population.

A trader from northern Ye, Mon State said, “They even go and cut down trees in the villagers’ gardens.   The villagers are afraid to ban them and the Burmese soldiers turn a blind eye.”  

“The DKBA enters the pristine forested area in the northeastern part of Ye Township and cuts thousands of tons of trees for logging business”, said a New Mon State Party official from Ye.

The Karen armed group who surrendered to the BA receives logging concessions from the regime’s forestry department.  It was reported the DKBA aggressively cuts the trees close to the New Mon State Party controlled area and even sometimes enters into the Party’s area.

According to the source, thousands of tons of logs in Pa-an Township and Battalion No. 999 of the DKBA areas are being cut down; the “Pago Yoma” range in Pegu Division is also under the logging concessions.

Businessmen who have good contact with the DKBA normally transport logs and lumber to Mon and Karen State for construction and other purposes.   The local source said soldiers from the BA also cut teak on the Zami riverbank in Kya-inn-seikyi Township of Karen State.

To promote their logging concession, the DKBA sells lumber to Buddhist monks at a low price to build monasteries in Mon and Karen States.  The DKBA is exempt from paying an illegal tax to the BA along the way while ordinary traders have to pay when passing their checkpoints.  

A small number of civilians also cut down trees in Yebyu Township in Tenasserim Division but must pay tax to several armed groups.  These traders do not have concessions like the DKBA has with the regime.   

****************************

ACTIVISTS DISCUSS ROAD MAP FOR DEMOCRACY

(Gong Ong: October 13, 2003)

Activists and politicians met in Fort Wayne for a Burma’s Road Map Conference on October 11 and 12.

“It was very productive.  We built more networks and made decisions to change the military regime in Burma,” said Nai Banyadean, one of the Conference organizers.

It had been busy days for Banyadean and members of Monland Restoration Council since the Conference organizers selected Fort Wayne as the host site.  The small town is home to the largest concentration of refugees from Burma in the United States, who mostly fled the country after 1988 brutal military coup.

Mon delegates from Thailand, Canada and other parts of the USA traveled to Fort Wayne to join with two hundred participants including Prime Minister of the government in exile Dr. Sein Win and Karen National Union (KNU) leader Padoh Mahn Sha.  It was reported some Mons were not permitted visas for entering the U.S for this meeting.

Various exiled groups based in Thailand, Canada, India, England, Japan and other States from the U.S flocked to Fort Wayne, the residence of 1,500 Burmese community, to join this significant conference.  Most delegates who work for a regime change in Burma are dedicated leaders of ethnic and democratic organizations such as NCUB (National Council of the Union of Burma), CRDB, NCGUB, NLD, MUL and FBC.

According to Kevin Kilbane of The News Sentinel, Fred Gilbert, a local social worker who devotes most of his time to assisting refugees and immigrants said it was the broad-based conference that had ever been held in the United States.  Messages and speeches from Representatives of Sen. Richard Lugar and the U.S State Department’s Burma desk were delivered.

The Mon team also drafted a Road Map paper to present at the “Road Map for Democracy in Burma Conference,” according to the source from the Mon Unity League.  The Road Map, jointly drafted by umbrella organizations Mon Unity League and United Mon Fronts, implemented to begin a tripartite dialogue in Burma stating that neither the military junta nor the opposition democratic force can command the support necessary for a transition to democracy in Burma without participation from the ethnic nationalities.

Pon Nya Mon of MRC said, “We don’t discuss our paper seriously, it’s only a proposal to contribute the conference as an alternative while there are Road Maps proposed by other parties”.  He told Kao Wao that while the Mon supports the role of United Nations to bring peace, equality and democracy on Burma, this road map urges Burmese junta to be obligated accordingly in line with the UN.

The Mon Road Map has five steps; Transitional Period, Tripartite dialogue process, Forming an interim government, Holding new elections and Forming a newly elected government.

Meanwhile, Mon MP Nai Thaung Shein and former New Mon State Party leaders in exile urged the Mon not to support the Road Map proposed by the military regime in Burma.

At the two-day conference in Indiana’s Purdue University, participants spent most of their time developing ideas in strategy planning, solidarity building among nationalities and international campaign. 

Participants and local community were joyfully entertained by M3 (Mon Modern Music) Band and cultural performance in the evening on October 12 after the meaningful gathering.

*************************************************

Literature and culture

MON LANGUAGE BOOKS UNDER SCRUTINY

(IMNA: October 10, 2003)

The SPDC’s scrutiny board refuses to grant a permit for the printing of Mon books even though the contents are translated from Burmese language magazine.

A Buddhist monk in Rangoon says, “the articles are not related to politics and we will publish it from previous Burmese language magazines and journals.  But the board refuses to give permission”.

Mon monks had planned to publish monthly magazines with articles selected from Burmese magazines and journals for educational and entertaining purposes for the Mon public but the Scrutiny Board in Rangoon rejects their application.

Only a few Mon magazines endorsed by senior and revered monks are given permission by the regime according to a source from the Mon community in Rangoon.  These books are produced only once in a year or in two years, said a Mon monk from Moulmein, the capital of Mon State, who applied for permission to print the books.

During the BSPP (Burmese Socialist Programme Party – 1962 to 1988) era, the Mon books translated from Burmese language were permitted for publication.

Three years ago it took 6 months to get permission to print but no permission is allowed nowadays.  Only some publication from the cease-fire New Mon State Party’s Public Relations Department is produced at present.

*******************************************

Migrant Watch

ILLEGAL TRADE AND CORRUPTION ON THAI-BURMA BORDER

(News report by Banya Hongsar)

October 2003, Measot—Illegal trade, migrants and other activities seem just part of ordinary life of local people along the Thai Burma border areas. Myawaddy-Moulmein transportation is one of the most practical roads for traders during raining season. During the raining season, Three Pagodas Pass - Moulmein road is closed for over 3 to 4 months due to inaccessible road conditions.  Local people from the Mon and Karen States who rely on the border trades are weary of illegal tax collection at a number of border checkpoints.

Most truck owners didn’t make much of a profit during the last raining season as they are imposed with heavy illegal cash collection by Burma Army troops and other armed forces on the border route.

"We must always pay a fee to all border checkpoints and to our drivers, we net only a few thousand Kyat," complained a track owner from Moulmein. If there were more checkpoints, we would make no money, and sometimes we make only a small amount," he added.

According to the truck owner, all vehicles pay at least Kyat 18,000 to various checkpoints on the route to Myawaddy from Moulmein, the capital city of Mon State. They pay the Burmese troops, traffic police, local police force, Immigration Police (lawaka), Guards to bridges, troop of DKBA (Democratic Karen Buddhist Army) and local security forces. The truck owners pay sometimes as much as Kyat 30,000 including a gas fee for one trip including return. They charge Kyat 2,500 per passenger and if they bring no goods to Moulmein the owner makes no profit. All illegal goods from Thailand are sold on Burmese soil at Myawaddy because the truck owners bringing goods to Moulmein will be punished by the authority if goods from Thailand are found in the truck.

The local traders say that recently security forces are searching through all packages and boxes.  The security officers rip open the boxes with a small knife looking for explosives and other related materials. The authorities are suspecting everyone and searching for anti-government arms forces that often use the road via local traders bringing weapons inside the country.

Traffic Control Board managed by U Kyi Win, Director of the Board, monitors all trucks entering into and departing Myawaddy town, the other side of Measot, Thailand with track records. All vehicles are photographed including license number plates for security. The Board charges Kyat 200 to every vehicle for this procedure.

Recently, the Royal Thai Government and Burmese authority led by State Peace and Development Council agreed to deport illegal migrants to return home and a "Temporary Holding Centre" was set up in Myawady town.

According to Ko Soe, the truck driver, despite Myawaddy- Measot is officially opened for border trade between the two countries; local traders cannot buy and sell goods. However, members of the pro Rangoon armed group, the DKBA, ignore the order and bring in whatever they like in their trucks.

"They (DKBA) travel armed while driving their vehicles, so the government troops dare not give them trouble," says the local trader. “A few vehicles with registration by the DKBA have a better opportunity because the DKBA soldiers sit in their cars for protection”, he added.

Both the New Mon State Party and the DKBA are members of cease-fire agreement camps to SPDC in Burma. They have access to border trade and other local business in the country. According to traders, truck owners who are members of DKBA have more of a chance to deal with various checkpoints than do the members of NMSP’s.

Local Immigration Officers ban all girls and young women crossing to the border towns without accompanying male siblings.  Two young girls who planned to visit their siblings at Myawaddy were turned back to ThanPhyu Zayat on the second week of September. Authorities assume young girls are illegal migrants to Thailand. Despite the Royal Thai Government declaration of no further legal employment status for new arrivals to Thailand, many migrants are seeking to enter Bangkok.

"They earn only Baht 50-60 a day here in Measot, but in Bangkok they can double their wage." Nai Soe Than, a Mon business based in Measot said.

Most local traders and businessmen have joined hands with the cease-fire camps to boost border trade though illegal activities. Motor vehicles crossing the border are the biggest supporters of revenue for the cease-fire camps and the Burmese troops during the dry season. Local car dealers sell used cars to Burmese traders with a common agreement on the border cross points.

************************************************************

A MAN WITH A MISSION: MIGRANTS GIVE BACK

Migrant Workers Build Public School in Mon Village

(By Bob Htaw, Bangkok)

Despite living a harsh existence in Thailand, migrant workers have banded together to send home funds to support education in their home village

Mon children’s education in the villages has usually ended at the elementary level, facing an uncertain future, children are left to play or work around the village and are often seen playing in the river close by their village.  For many years now, hundreds of children are seen working on farms and fishing after completing primary school in the village. Aware of the needs of the community, migrant workers from Krong Bae village no longer rely on the Government’s educational infrastructure project in rural areas. 

Goe Lavi, youth leader from Krong Bae Mon village, Pha Ann Township determined to make a difference formed the "Association of Assisting Education" in Thailand to support his community back home.  Over sixty migrant workers joined the grassroots project in 2000.  Soon after the Department of State Education from Pha Ann Township visited his village, a joint-middle school was opened, the school was just a small hut built of wood with a thatch roof.  If the villagers do not fund the school, the temporary permit for joint middle school will expire.  Children will then have to attend middle school in another village and walk up to three miles every day on foot.

News of the situation reached Lavi, chief of migrant workers in Samutphrakan District.  Inspired to do something for his people, he quickly organized a meeting and formed an association of migrant workers concerned for the education needs of the community back home in Mon State.

"If there is no joint-middle school in our village, children will have to walk six miles daily to attend school at Htaw Plang (Zar Tha Pyin) village, I felt something had to be done to support the community. Now the building is 95% completed," he happily added.

Over eighty migrant workers with work permits (Bart raeng-ngan) issued by Ministry of Labor of the Royal Thai Government each contributed Baht 300 per year to the project, with a few senior workers generously contributing thousands of Baht on top of that. The migrants are employed at a rice factory and possess a strong work in conducting good management skills within the community led by their leader. They make up the largest pool of uneducated, unskilled labor in Thailand, who place a high value on education and have gladly given up some of their wages to the school building project.

Unskilled migrant workers have contributed significantly to economic stability in Burma for several years. While the villagers acknowledge the migrant’s contribution, the Department of State Education in Burma totally disregards the social and educational concerns of migrant workers and their families back home.

"We have not only built the school but we also pay the salaries of local teachers in our village," Lavi declared to Kao Wao.

Local public teachers at Krong Bae village receive a stipend from the association while students are charged Kyat 150.00 per month (US 10 cents) of tuition fee. Despite being financially supported by migrant workers and the local villagers, the Department of State Education instructed the local headmen to put a sign (on the front gate of the building) saying "State Middle School" in Burmese text, denying the Mon language and effort in funding their own schools.  The local headmen and his team proudly say they successfully built the school without state funding.  Like many schools in Burma, the SPDC government pays not a single Kyat on education.  According to Lavi, local headmen announced the school was built with enthusiasm by local villagers to get permission from the Burmese authorities for another year term to run the project after the school building was completed.

Native Mon teachers are appointed for a range of teaching programs including Mon language and literature. The Mon National Education Department, an organization of the New Mon State Party also conducts classes at the joint-middle school with its own funding. There are over 150 students at the joint-middle school with five teachers. Most teachers are from the village, three of which have completed Degrees from Moulmein University, Capital City of Mon State. According to Lavi, the graduates were not able to find jobs in the urban areas and returned to the village, they enjoy teaching in the village and have become dedicated role models for new generation.

"In the past, we didn’t have a single person who finished high school in the ‘tenth year,’ Lavi explained.  The energetic Lavi, in his 30s, has worked like superman for many years in Thailand to support his community.

Living a modest life in his home village, he has endeavored to help and guide young people for safe employment and other social works in Burma and Thailand. Usually avoiding commenting about politics, whether the government is good or bad, he criticized local headmen and high-ranking officials who give in to bribes. “I’m sick to death of the corruption in my birthplace and the surrounding areas and want a change in my country.

Shaking his head, "They don’t work for the sake of poor people but they collect loads of money for themselves."

After the New Mon State Party, a nationalist political party with its armed force reached cease-fire agreement in 1995, a few Mon villages received educational access to public schools funded by the Mon National Education Committee. However, many in the rural areas like Krong Bae village had to build their own schools and hire teachers with no funding allocation either by the government or international aid.

Migrant workers at Samutphrakan District work 10-14 hours a day to save enough money for those back home, most know nothing about Labor Union or workers’ rights. They are not trained by any Thai based non-government organizations to run community development projects or other related capacity training initiatives, neither democratic activists nor members of a political party. They are local civilians dedicated to their community and its future. "I can assure you if we don’t have jobs here, our families wouldn’t be able to survive at home," he said. Migrant workers both legal and illegal status have contributed to community development and other village infrastructure initiatives in Mon territory for years but are ill-treated or punished with immigration laws in both countries.

Despite the negative situation, they have built a joint-middle school at a cost of over Baht 400,000 under the direction of Lavi.  He urges friends from other villages to organize workers into groups to run similar projects and has made himself available for consultation if workers from other villages invite him. Many migrants are not aware of educational projects in their areas despite most of villages back home have no funding for school buildings. 

"I can’t understand why workers have no interest to support educating their poor children back home," he commented. "We hope to support our children to continue their studies at universities and we award them every year," he added.

Kao Wao learnt that most new schools in Mon Territory are self-supported through cash collection of local households. According to a recent address of the military appointed Prime Minister of Burma, General Khin Nyunt, there are 40,049 basic education schools as of 2003 including branch schools and affiliated schools.  However, he mentioned nothing about how funds are allocated. In reality, local villagers, migrant workers, surrounding community and local businessmen fund most schools.

The joint-middle school in Krong Bae village at Pha An Township is 80 x 20 ft. with no electricity or a water tap and is set in the middle of rice field. The project is waiting for additional cash at the end of financial year. The Association of Education Assistance not only pays for the cost of construction but for all facilities in the classroom. The lucky middle school students now only have to walk ten minutes to school from their home. The School runs its own generator for power at night, the students are able to complete their homework with the power, but the majority read their books in the candlelight.

_____________________________________________________________________

THAILAND STRUGGLES TO HALT HUMAN TRAFFICKING

(Cited from Asia Child Rights, October 2)

It was a warm and sticky Friday night when investigators swooped into one of this provincial capital's back-street brothels searching for women and children trafficked from neighboring Burma. Within hours the raid was over, and the owner of the brothel was in police custody. Investigators say weeks of surveillance and covert visits paid off: six of the 29 women rescued were minors and more than half had been coerced into their work. But not everyone was relieved.

Local migrant advocacy groups say the Chiang Mai raid, like other actions taken against human trafficking, had netted Burmese women voluntarily engaged in prostitution. Now, they say, those women may be worse off than before.

These groups accuse the US-funded anti-trafficking task force that led the raid of steamrolling women's rights and treating all sex workers as victims. "The women didn't feel like they were rescued because they lost their money.... They felt like they were trapped," says Hseng Noung, of the Shan Women's Action Network (SWAN), who interviewed ethnic Shan women detained in the raid. "Being forced to work physically is one thing, but these women were forced to work by their situation."

As concern mounts over the global scale of human trafficking, which the State Department has called "the emerging human rights issue of the 21st century," the US and other wealthy nations are lending more support to anti-trafficking initiatives in countries like Thailand. But the increasing friction between these US- sponsored task forces and the local groups they rely on for information could make it harder for them to root out abuses.

The State Department defines human trafficking as modern-day slavery with victims who are forced, defrauded, or coerced into sexual or labor exploitation. According to their figures, the US has spent more than $100 million on overseas anti-trafficking aid since October 2000, when Congress first passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. They estimate that 800,000 to 900,000 people are trafficked annually across international borders - numbers disputed by outside researchers. The United Nation Children's Fund says one-third of global trafficking in women and children happens in Southeast Asia.

But researchers and field workers who know Thailand's entrenched sex industry say that cases of outright slavery, where women are sold into bondage and forced to work, are dwarfed by desperate stories of poverty and exploitation. Many are more wary of the gung-ho brothel busts that land women in detention than of the traffickers who profit from the trade.

Thailand's handling of migrant women caught in trafficking raids has improved in recent years. The women, typically from Burma, Laos, Cambodia, and southern China, are no longer treated as criminals or deported through normal channels. All 29 women rescued in Chiang Mai were transferred to a government-run shelter, and many have since been repatriated to Burma via a private network. That's little comfort, though, to those who never wanted to be rescued in the first place.

"It's our aim to concentrate on victims of human trafficking, but it's not always possible ... because of the intermingling of different groups in a sexual establishment," says Ben Svasti, coordinator of Trafcord, a joint task force formed with US support last year to tackle human trafficking in northern Thailand. "It's hard to figure out who are the victims."

Angered by recent raids, SWAN and other nonprofit groups that assist migrant women and sex workers are balking at the prospect of working with Trafcord, which relies on local tips to uncover abuses.

Mr. Svasti says he recognizes the concerns of these groups but insists that women's rights are protected as much as possible.

The next big step, say campaigners, is to bring to justice criminals who profit from human trafficking. Traffickers who go unpunished typically round up more women to replace those who have been rescued. Only by squeezing the criminal networks that supply bonded labor can Thailand hope to stem the flow of victims.

But the rescued women on their way home to Burma may not stay there for long. Activists say it's not uncommon for women to return to Thailand, whether because of unpaid debts or poor prospects at home. Svasti says he's heard of the same migrant sex workers being rescued from brothels two or three times.

In Burma, prospects for women are grim: SWAN has documented a campaign of systematic rape of ethnic Shan women by Burmese soldiers, a charge denied by the ruling junta. Faced with such abuses, being put in the hands of traffickers may be the lesser evil, says Hseng Noung.  (Source: One World. Net)

_____________________________________________________________________

Political Debate

WILL THE ROAD MAP SOLVE PROBLEMS IN BURMA?

(By Lawi Weng)

The word "road map" has become familiar among the Mon people within the last few weeks because some people in our movement are trying to write their own road map called the Mon Road Map. Some people in our movement show that their road map can help to solve problems in Burma, or they have the capacity to write a road map like Prime Minister Khin Nyunt.  However, I would like to let our people know where the word "road map" comes from and what kinds of problems for countries using a road map need to solve.

Who invented the concept of road map?  Israel and Palestine implemented a road map in order to solve the problems in the Middle East.  It seemed the best way to solve the problems facing the people in the Middle East. Even though it has become a buzzword, some people doubt if it can solve intense conflict. People are dying almost every day by killing each other and from suicide bombings and no one can say whether the road map for Israel and Palestine will solve everything. 

Can the road map solve the problems in Burma? More specifically, can our Mon people say exactly what the road map can solve?

Who invented the word "road map" for Burma? The Thai Foreign Minister appeared willing to solve problems; soon after arriving back from Vietnam he mentioned the road map philosophy. Not mentioning who was to be involved clearly showed he wanted only to gain a good reputation with the Burmese junta and the international community.  He should be aware of the principles of the road map, which can be negotiated by both sides of leaders sitting at the table to discuss Burma's issues.

For instance, in solving the conflict in the Middle East, both leaders sit together at the table and discuss the conflict together. Without a facilitator, both leaders can negotiate with each other. So, can the Thai Foreign Minister bring in both sides (the Burmese military and the opposition leaders) to the table at the same time to discuss Burma's issues with his road map? He tried to bring in the Burmese military to his road map, but they didn’t accept it, it floundered at the outset. Not wanting to appear like a pushover to the international community, Khin Nyunt outlined his own road map with seven points to build a democratic country, which showed a degree of willingness of democracy in Burma.  

In reality however, the Burmese military is not willing to solve the problems. They don’t want to ever have democracy in Burma, as shown by the crackdown on May 30 in which innocent pro-democracy activists were killed. They arrested the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, now kept it seems under a perpetual state of house arrest. They say they are going to set up a commission to work with the road map, but really are only buying time in order to stay in power for as long as they can.

Mon people should not let Khint Nyunt stay in power for long.  Will Khint Nyunt be happy if he sees the Mon road map? Are we neglecting the tripartite dialogue?  While the military government extols their position, don't follow them. We are not dictators like the junta.

(Lawi Weng is a Mon student of Foreign Affairs Training based in Chiang Mai, Thailand)

************************************************************

HAPPY IN INSEIN

(Joong Ang Daily, South Korea, October 9)

Mr. Min-chol Kang, a North Korean national, is happy with his imprisonment in the notorious Insein prison and hopes to spend his remaining days there.

Imprisoned for life in 1984 for his role in the terrorist attack against a delegation of South Korean in which 17 South Koreans were killed shocked the world. The unforeseen attack embarrassed and angered the Burmese people, who today have forgotten the incident. 

The attack took place on October 9 before a memorial service at Rangoon’s Aungsan Mausoleum, that almost sparked an all out war between the North and South.

Three North Koreans were involved in the attack and were caught immediately by the Burmese police, they resisted arrest with one being shot and killed, one was later hanged and Mr. Min-chol Kang was sentenced to life in prison.

With the exceptions of medical checkups from time to time and an official visit by a South Korean government representative in 1993 in which Mr. Kang said he felt no remorse for what he did, Mr. Kang is forbidden to have visitors. Recently the South Korean ambassador was turned down a visit with Mr. Kang but according to authorities he behaves well and is healthy. Mr. Kang is concerned of his future, a right’s activist was quoted as saying, “but he is happy learning English and studying Buddhism”. Mr. Kang has had no contact with North Korea since his arrest.

“Many Burmese people criticized him for committing such horrible terror in their land, but some commiserate with him by saying that he is probably a hero in North Korea,” a prison guard said.

*************************************************************

KAO WAO NEWS GROUP

Email: kaowao@hotmail.com, kaowao@shaw.ca

http://www.kaowao.org

Phone + 66 -1 561- 0860, + 1- 403 - 248 2027

On line archive at

http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=1215&lo=d&sl=0

Online Burma Library -- http://www.burmalibrary.org

ABOUT US

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.

SUBMIT YOUR NEWS

If you are an organization or individual who is committed to the same principles as Kao-Wao, please use this eNewsletter as a tool to disseminate your views, articles, and issues pertaining to social justice and political, social and cultural freedom. We are open to all but please ensure to source your material either through email contacts or website. To ensure that it is widely read, you can use this email: kaowao@hotmail.com to tell others about this newsletter, and to let them know about your work, events, and public debate.

TO UNSUBSCRIBE

If you wish to stop receiving this newsletter send a message from the address you want to remove to us. Please contact editor should you need further assistance.