KAO WAO NEWS No. 72
An electronic newsletter for social justice and freedom in
July 20-August 8, 2004
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READERS’ FRONT
HUMAN TRAFFICKING: A
BOON FOR OPPORTUNISTS
NGO accuse Total of HR abuses
Despite talking peace fighting continues
MONEY THIRSTY
CHECKPOINTS
CHILDREN: VICTIMS OF
SERIOUS FLU
FIVE VEHICLES SEIZED
IN
THE EPIC STRUGGLE OF 8888: KANBAWZA WIN
KAREN CULTURE STILL
ALIVE IN
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READERS' 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,
kaowao@shaw.ca
__________________________________
On passing away of Ajar Wat
Singh and Dr. Chaotzang Yawnghwe
Dear Mon people,
Please accept our condolences on the untimely passing of
Ajar Uttama (Wat Singh). It
is difficult to understand why such tragedies happen, and we do not understand
why Ajar Uttama was taken from us so early before his
dream, Mon people’s freedom.
Though we are saddened by his death, we share with all the
relief that Ajar Uttama is now at peace. Ajar Uttama will be remembered and
recognized as a brave Abbot in the Mon political history as well as in the
Buddha Sasana. We understand that Ajar Uttama not only committed his life to the Buddha Sasana but also was also deeply passionate about having the
Please accept our sympathy. Rest assured that your loss is
the loss of the entire
Sincerely yours,
Nai Simon (Chit)
Secretary General
___________________________________________
It is sad to hear this news because many respected leaders
passed away during these days. The new generation should follow good
works of our leaders in order to gain our rights.
Mehm Blai
Mon youth
(KL,
___________________________________________________
Letter of condolence
from Monland Restoration Council (USA)
Regarding the death of Chao
Tsang Yawnghwe, the prominent Shan leader exiled in
Central Committee
Monland Restoration Council (
___________________________________________
With deep regret we heard the news of Dr Chao Tzang Yawnghwe
passed away from the radio while we were in remote area discussing about
Federal Constitution of Burma.
The founder of National
Reconciliation Program and organizer of Conferences of States' Constitutions
for Federal Democratic Burma, he led the ethnic nationalities leaders to learn
about Federal System in
May his spirit lead the
Burmese leaders to accept Federal Democratic System for peaceful
Sunthorn Sripanngern
Mon Unity
League
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HUMAN TRAFFICKING A BOON FOR OPPORTUNISTS
(Taramon/ Sangkhlaburi,
Traffickers in southern
The source said the traffickers hand over about three
hundred thousands Kyats (300 US $) to be allowed to pass through six
checkpoints (Gate Paung Sone)
in Mon State and Tenasserim Division to reach Kaw Thaung border town opposite
of Ranong in Thailand.
“They negotiate with the checkpoint officers to pass
through and pay about thirty thousands Kyats for one truck per checkpoint,”
said the Mon youth leader. The trucks carry approximately twenty people, safety
is really not an issue and many risk their lives in the hands of
traffickers. There are four checkpoints in
According to a source from southern
The human traffickers pay immigration officers about 550
baht for each person to cross the town to enter into
Even though there are warning signboards in the village,
every community in
“About 3,000 people use the way to Kaw
Thaung by cars from
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Environment
(Taramon/Sangkhlaburi:
Teak timber from Kyar-In Seik-Kyi were transported to Three Pagodas Pass border by
boats for making furniture which is then sold in Thailand, a source from
Mon business community said this week.
“The traders who have close relation with Karen rebel have
transported 2,000 logs of teak from the Karen National Union (KNU) controlled
area,” a business man from Three Pagodas Pass town told Kao Wao over the phone.
The teak forest in this township has been depleted and the
pro-Rangoon armed group Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) is the main
culprit, who paved the way for other opportunists. Some businessmen have
joined with the DKBA and have cut down various kinds of trees which are
transported to the Thai Burma border town and inside
***********************************************
NGO accuse Total of HR abuses
(Taramon/ Sangkhlaburi:
A local Burmese NGO based on the southern Thai-Burma border
has accused Total Oil Company, of human rights abuses, while constructing the Yadana gas pipeline in southern
“There are 12 reported cases, involving 8 forced laborers
and 4 perpetrators committed by three soldiers and one servant in these cases,”
said Mr. Htoo Chit, Coordinator of the Grass root
Human Rights Education and Development Committee.
The Committee had networked with a French NGO to bring the
complaint against Total, formerly known as TotalFinaElf,
in front of the courts. “We have strong evidence and are confident we’ll win
the cases even though we are local NGO,” Htoo
explained.
The French lawyers, he said, came to the Thai- Burma border
three times to take testimonies and collect information about the cases.
“Total has 12 lawyers but we have 2,” said Htoo. However, he informally discussed with the Total
lawyers about the cases while he was in
“They didn’t write what I said,” Htoo
said. Their group is happy that the French embassy in
The group has accused Total, one of the most corrupt oil
companies in the world founded by
*********************************************
Despite talking peace fighting continues
(By Taramon/ Sangkhlaburi:
Two Burma Army battalions have launched an offensive
against the Karen National Union along the Zami river
of Kyar-in
A local witness today reported that the Burma Army used
porters and was forcing money from the local people and passengers.
No. 547 and No. 355 Battalions of the BA have jointly
operated against the KNU No. 6 Brigade along the river and also illegally
established separated five checkpoints (gates) to raise funds from passengers
who travel by boat; the money is used for its troop during the operation, the
young man who came from the area said.
“Ten ox carts from the area must provide daily on a
rotating system of portering since last week after
seven SPDC soldiers were killed by a KNLA ambush,” the source from the Karen
armed group said. “Many Karen villagers from the area have left the
villages out of fear in being rounded up for portering
and of being tortured.”
According to the
Some passengers and traders have delayed their journey,
fearing their personal security and illegal taxation by the Burmese troops.
The business community said about half of traders who
usually trade along the river road have stopped their business activities this
year because two new SPDC checkpoints have been set up for the sole purpose of
demanding taxes to fund their offensive.
Migrant workers who were deported from
“The deportees were seriously checked by the SPDC
checkpoints,” Nai Min, a trader said.
Some local businessmen said the offensive is the first
occurrence of a skirmish between the SPDC and KNU in this area since the
beginning of the cease-fire talks.
**********************************************
MONEY THIRSTY
CHECKPOINTS
(Taramon in Sangkhlaburi:
Passengers who pass through Kyar-In
Seik-Kyi,
The SPDC checkpoint in the town sells bottle water to
passengers who are heading to the border town and who are believed to be
economic migrants entering
This check point has become the main gate of Kyar-In Seik-Kyi -
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CHILDREN: VICTIMS OF
SERIOUS FLU
(By Taramon and Banyar Toay:
Children in Mon and
“About one hundred children, most of them under 10 years
old, from southern Mudon Township have been sent to Moulmein hospital for medical care”, a Hnee
Padow villager said. “Among them, 28 children have
contracted the serious flu.”
In southern
“My grand-daughter was sent to the hospital for this severe
flu,” said a villager in
“In central
The children have no access to proper health care in
There is no official notice from the authority regarding
this infection of flu. The population transfer of migrant workers may be
one reason that spreads the flu, said a Mon medical worker in
***************************************************
FIVE VEHICLES SEIZED
IN
(Taramon/ Sangkhlaburi:
Five vehicles were seized by the military for illegal
smuggling from
“The motor vehicle police by orders of the Southeast
Military Command seized the cars on July 12 while waiting in the capital of
The car owners pay bribes to the MI to transport their cars
to
The MI, the resident said, asked the police not to
interfere in their own business, but the police responded they will have to follow
orders.
Vehicle smuggling in the past was controlled by the MI and
involved by the cease-fire groups, but now the police force and the military
control the booming business, said a Mon businessman in the capital.
All vehicles seized by the military are parked in the
Southeast Command.
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THE EPIC STRUGGLE OF 8888
(By Kanbawza
Win)
The bullet holes at the Rangoon
General Hospitals that snuff out the lives of doctors and nurses tending
the wounded have long been fill up and the pools of blood in front of the
American embassy has been washed away. The
One and a half decades have
passed and still the men in uniform who have committed these indescribable
atrocities are still in power and still continuing its brutalities as the /Depayin /episode indicates. There is no remorse, no request
for forgiveness, no attempt to explain things because they believe in the
theory that the power comes out of the barrel of the gun (Chairman Mao's theory
that the regime steadfastly follows), and that is why they let the Chinese to
dominate our country. But this 8888 is an undisputable fact that the people of
But "*/a lot of water has
flowed under the White Bridge/*," the paramount dictator has died in
disgraced, so also the shinning gentlemen of Rangoon, the leading narco baron
suffering from cancer is not permitted die in /Homong,
/while most of the autonomy fighters have entered the cease fire. In their
places new military dictators and new narco barons have emerged as the autonomy
leaders seek for greener pastures. But the most troubling aspects are that some
Burmese Diaspora intelligentsias have switched their identification from the
persecuted people to that of the persecutor. Such is life. Globalization as in
any other mankind has caught up with the Burmese and it seem that Machiavelli's
theory of "the end justifies the means" seems to be true.
For many more years to come, it
seems that the people of Burma will continue to suffer silently, children will
die of malnutrition, life span would be short, students will have little or no
education, the */Na Wa Ta/* disease (AIDS) will be rampant, girls will be sold
to prostitution not to mention the forced labour,
forced relocation, ethnic cleansing, environmental degradation etc. It seems we
have reached of what Lord Buddha has predicted in "the sixteen points
dream of King Kawsala." But we will struggle on
for hope springs eternal in human breast. Is there any
hope for a genuine /Pyidaungsu Myanmar Naingan Daw/ (
How many times has she been
arrested? What psychological torture she must gone
through when the Junta did not allowed her dying husband to see her? Staying
all alone and even and has not been allowed to make a memorial service for her
slain father she has barely recovered from the injury she received in her
attempted assassination, yet she continues to whisper in our ears to carry on.
Just imagine a widow separated from her children forced to live all alone in
her house not being able to see friends and foe alike and incommunicado. If she
did not give up why should we? Both the father and the daughter have not
faltered in their believe and conviction come what
may. Let us follow their example and carry on the good traditions as the motto
of our emblem says for */even though our heads our bloody yet we are unbowed.
/*We will die fighting rather than live on our knees.
We will have to plan our strategy meticulously, revamped the leaders in the
Diaspora group and call it "a spade a spade". We must always bear in
mind that in our goal to reach democracy is that we must have *unity in
diversity*.
Many people will work in several
different ways and we cannot blame other people who do not work our way only.
The only point is that the goal of our epic struggle must not be lost. If we
were to look at international supporters we cannot lump altogether and say that
they are all members of NATO, i.e. no action talk only. America has just come
up with sanctions on Burma very lately while all the time US is just contend
with preventing new investment. Looking at the Junta's response we can gauge
that this is the language, which affect the Junta very much. At least the rogue
and thugs knows the punitive language even if it refuse to comprehend dialogue,
compromise, conflict resolution or what ever the civilized way may be. If so
why can't we all support sanctions? Besides, Daw Suu and the NLD has supported
sanctions, this explicitly means that those who do not support the sanctions
have crossed the line into the Junta's camp. This is a clear line that must be
drawn.
However, we cannot be satisfied
with this. What are we going to do in the long term? What are our plans for the
future generation in comparison with the Junta? If we don't move fast and grab
the opportunities as they arise, we will end up like previous failed waves of
resistance. CTY is gone; Tin Maung Win had said good-bye long ago.
The old man Bo Mya is in dotage, most of the NLD executive commit members
are septuagenarian or octogenarian while some have to come to the meeting on
wheel chair, and every day we are all getting old. On the other hand the
Burmese military has layers and layers of young leaders and they are training
them vigorously penetrating our democracy forces. The authentic prove is that
we predicted that once Ne Win is gone there would be
democracy has proved to be wrong. Looking back to our contemporary history we
will have to admit that in half a century of ethnic nationalities struggle very
few of them could produced young ethnic nationality
leaders while in the biggest group nepotism is distinct. Now as we reflect on
the 8888 group on this anniversary of August 8th we should clearly think of
what are we going to do. Shall we allow history to repeat the same mistakes
again? Let us judge not by our emotions but by science of reasoning.
************************************************
Culture
KAREN CULTURE STILL
ALIVE IN
(Contributed by Mahn
Kyaw Swe)
On a sunny
holiday in August, the
About a hundred and
twenty people from different ethnic backgrounds such as Mon, Burman, Chin,
Karen and Thais attend the celebration. "People from
"Before
Buddhism or Christianity was introduced to the Karen people, our ancient
ancestors and great grandmothers and grandfathers, lived in fear of different
spirits. Therefore, our parents and grandparents used white thread, which they
tied on the wrists of children after calling back their spirits. It meant
that the person and one's spirit would stay together and could live free from
fear," one of the participants explained in English to the visitors.
People who attended the
wrist tying ceremony must wear full traditional costume. The ceremony could
only be sponsored by an elderly couple who had lived together as husband and
wife for their entire married life. This senior couple called upon the
spirits of the children to come back from the place of darkness and to stay
with parents, grandparents and relatives. The senior couple then prayed that
the young children would behave themselves well, and act with good discipline
and preserve our culture. There are seven materials are used for wrist
tying ceremony:
1. A
glass of cold water
2.
Three white threads
3.
Seven rice balls
4.
Seven triangular-shaped lumps of sticky rice in the packages
5.
Seven boiled bananas
6.
Seven (Paw Woung) branches of flowers
7.
Seven pieces of sugarcane
The glass of
cold water means to regain peace of mind and strength, cleansing the body and
mind. Water is one of the main sources of life that people and animals depend
upon. As human beings, we frequently make mistakes both
physically or mentally in our lives.
These
mistakes will be cleansed from us in the same way as we take a bath with clean
water. The white threads represent protection of the person from
misfortune and evil spirits.
The rice balls stand for
being united. If rice stays separated in pieces, it would decay within short
period. If the rice is holds together in balls, it will not decay so
easily and will last for a long time. The triangular shaped steamed
sticky rice in packages represents solidarity and sharpness. The nature of sticky
rice is already stick together. When sticky rice is
made as triangle shaped in the banana leaf, it is stickier and sharper like a
weapon. That's the way the elderly couple want their children to be united,
sharp and smart.
Bananas represent good
discipline and loyalty. Bananas grow up in a serial, orderly, and gradual
way. When the banana plant produces its fruit, it starts from a single branch.
Then, the fruits appear serially and in order from the main branch. A
banana tree only come to fruit once in a lifetime. If it is cut from top to
bottom, small plants will come out naturally and grow increasingly.
The branch of flowers
(Paw Wee) signifies our ability to settle and grow anyplace. Other types of flowers usually dry and dies, when the season is
over or weather condition are bad. However, the Paw Wee branch of flowers
can grow anywhere and in any season as long as can put down roots
somewhere. It can grow quickly and doesn't need much water. Sugar
cane presents the quality of good ethics, moral values, and racial
progress. Its original quality of sweetness never disappears no matter
how the weather changes. When sugar cane plant is cut into pieces, new plants
grow out from the middle link and able to grow well on any ground.
"In the past, when Karens began to get married to people from other ethnic
backgrounds, they got away from traditions like this in order to avoid
upsetting their spouses. And some of the spouses from different backgrounds
didn't encourage their Karen spouses to join in traditional events
either. Today, not only people of Karen ethnic nationality, but
also their spouses and family members from other ethnic backgrounds such as the
Burman, Chinese, Malay, Mon, Shan, and Chin join their Karen spouses and show
their support for preserving this lovely Karen traditional wrist tying
ceremony", Mahn Shishaw
said.
"By celebrating this
traditional in local community event yearly, Karen people remember our culture
and beautiful traditions, respect each other and forgive each other for the
mistakes they may make in the past. Everybody makes mistakes in one's
life. Forgiveness is one of the best solution in
society", Saw Thaik Soe
explained.
Karen wrist tying
ceremony is one of the ancient traditions of Karen people. It is not a
Karen Buddhist tradition that we maintain and celebrate, but rather a reminder
to citizens of all nationalities of what we can live together in unity and
strength not as Karen people but also with other ethnic nationals in a
multicultural society,
especially one like we
enjoy in a country like Canada.
*************************************************
Zateng Sisi
(Cited from AFP, Washington:
Two
They said
Senators Mitch McConnell and Dianne Feinstein requested of
Powell, in a letter dated last week, that "the United States downgrade its
diplomatic relationship with the illegitimate military junta" in Myanmar
by requiring Linn Myaing "to immediately
return" to Yangon.
They said in the letter, a copy of which was made available
on Friday, "such action was warranted" because of the military
regime's refusal to free democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi despite repeated calls
from the international community.
The junta was also accused of continued human rights
violations, particularly against ethnic groups. "These abuses include
murder, rape, torture, forced relocations, forced and child labor, and
trafficking in persons and drugs," they said.
Aung San Suu Kyi is currently more than a year into her
third period of house arrest.
The junta has never allowed her National League for
Democracy (NLD) to rule, although it scored a landslide victory in elections
the international community considered otherwise free and fair in 1990.
The senators also urged the State Department to increase
pressure on US allies to do more in support of democracy in Myanmar "and
be vigilant in its dealings with" the junta.
They wanted
The senators expressed "outrage" that Myanmar had
been invited to the State Department's July 4 celebration of US Independence
Day "when other odious regimes, including Zimbabwe, were excluded."
Since 1990, the
President George W. Bush signed into law this month renewed
import sanctions against
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