MUL Role & Activities in Mon Community
(April 2008)
1. Participation in Vote No Campaign
In early April, after studying the basic principles, articles and facts in the SPDC’s draft Constitution which based from proposals and discussion from the regime sponsored National Convention (NC), MUL found the Constitution does not guarantee for the rights of ethnic nationalities and democracy. It totally gave power to military – Burmese Army – to hold in power without contesting in elections. The constitution includes the military commanders can be represented about 25% in House of Representatives and similarly 25% in Senate. And, the Constitution also gave a special power to “Peace and National Security Council” which comprised of many military representatives to seize power when they think the country has unrest situation.
Since the Constitution poses so undemocratic and lack of principles to the rights to ethnic nationalities, MUL totally oppose and started working for Vote No campaign along with other oppositions. Therefore, MUL has participated in the following activities:
- MUL Chairman was giving interviews to Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA) and explained about the Constitution together with the Spokesman from New Mon State Party (NMSP). He compared the Burma’s military Constitution with other constitution in neighboring countries like Thailand and others. He explained how a democratic constitution must be drawn and about power balance. He also exposed how the Burmese Army’s plan to hold in power as long as possible. If the Constitution is confirmed, the root problem in Burma is not really solved and the people will continue their opposition.
- MUL along with its networking organization, Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) has developed a campaign CD, booklet and palm lefts in 2nd week of April and distributed in Mon areas. NO Vote Campaign CDs/ DVDs, booklets and palm lefts were widely distributed in Mon State and they has reached to Ye, Thanbyuzayat, Mudon, Kyaik-mayaw, Moulmein, Chaung-zone and Paung. These materials were also distributed in Kawkareik and Kya-inn-seikyi Township of Karen State, where the Mon people are living.
However, from the SPDC’s side, it did not distribute the booklets to the people and forced the people to buy them. Without giving any education to the people, SPDC authorities and Referendum Holding Commission forced the people to cast YES in the Referendum on May 10.
2. Referendum Monitoring
Since MUL believes, the Referendum will not be fair and free, it has monitoring the behavior of SPDC authorities and the Referendum commission through its networks from inside. Therefore, it founds the following frauds.
No freedom of expression and threats
The SPDC Referendum Commission ordered in the communities in both cities’ wards and villages that they are not allowed the people to freely discuss on the referendum. If someone is talking about against Referendum, they must be detained and imprisoned. On the other hand, the regime also appointed the USDA members to closely watch the activities of oppositions, Buddhist monks and activists.
Even the draft constitution was not distributed in the communities, many voters in the rural area and small cities never saw the draft constitution in their eyes. But many of them understood that the SPDC will manipulate in Referendum and they will try to win by any means.
In some areas, the authorities and Referendum commissions totally ordered by threat to the local villagers to cast Yes Vote, and if not, they will punish. Accordingly to a Commission member in Mudon Township, he said, the people must give Yes vote, and if they cast No Vote, they will have to stay under this current military rule for their long life.
But in southern part of Ye Township, the local military authorities from Southeast Command ordered to the villagers that he did not want to see any No vote in the villages’ poll stations and if he founded, the villagers will be punished. Therefore, many villagers in the rural villages were very afraid of casting No vote in the poll stations.
Taking advanced votes
In Mon State, even before May 10 Referendum, the Referendum Commissions and USDA members already took about 30-35% of advanced votes from the elderly persons, disable persons, government servants, fire fighters, USDA members, and absented migrant workers (who are in Thailand, Malaysia and Singapore). Village referendum commissions and USDA village leaders went house by house and collected advanced votes.
In advanced voting, they already ticked on Yes box of each person. When they went to each house, they filled in information of each person’s identity cards and said they will cast on behalf of them. Especially, when they talked to the elderly people, they just said they will help them in casting votes and so that they don’t have to worry to go to the poll station on May 10.
As an instance, accordingly to our field reporters’ reporting, the commissions and USDA members already took nearly 70% of advanced votes in Kawkalwe village in Mudon Township and they ticked all Yes votes for the villagers. Since many villagers are afraid, they did not say anything.
Manipulation in poll station
During casting votes, the referendum commissions did not give freedom to voters. Accordingly to their rules, the commission assistants have the rights to help the votes in giving votes and it is likely they can check every voters when they casted their votes.
Under the close watch of commission assistants, voters are very difficult to cast NO vote, because they were not independent to tick as they liked. Accordingly to our field reporters, the voters to the poll stations in the rural villages were closely watched if compared with towns’ or cities’ voters.
Accordingly to a voter, she said, although she planned to tick No in the ballet paper, but the assistant said he would help her and ticked Yes on behalf of her. She said there are many similar cases like her in casting votes.
3. Participation in the first Mon Young Monks Seminar
This is the first time, the representatives of the Mon Buddhist monks from Monland, Thailand and Sri Lanka held a Seminar to discuss about the Monks’ Education; Public Relations; Community Development; Communication and Networking; and other situation. They have met for 3 days from April 27 to 29 in a safe place in Monland.
About 40 young Mon monks attended the Seminar and they have mainly focused for the advance education of Buddhist monks to study in abroad. Most Mon young monks have been hunger for greater education to learn about Buddhist philosophy, and other Buddhist teaching in English and try to connect with advanced technology.
Additionally, the Buddhist monks are the closest persons with the community and they know well about the needs of community people. Hence, many of them discussed how to get involved in the community development activities. Other participants who involved in the Seminar who have experience of working in the community development also shared their idea to the monks.
MUL General Secretary also acted as Facilitator in opening day of Seminar and also helped in the organizers of the Seminar about the agenda of each day and discussion points.
4. Position Paper to 7th Session of Permanent Forum for Indigenous People, United Nations
In order to provide information what are happening in Monland and the rights of Mon people, MUL wrote a position paper in name of Background of Conflict and Situation of Indigenous Mon People in Burma. In the paper, MUL included the following information:
- History of Mon People
- Mon politics since Independent Era
- Human Rights in Monland
- Land and properties confiscation
- Mon national education under oppression
- Health care access and health problems in Mon areas
- Conclusion
The Mon representatives from Monland Restoration Council (MRC) can attend the 7th Session of Permanent Forum for two weeks before the end of April until mid-May.
Note: MUL stands for networking the Mon Civil Society Organizations in building their capacities and coordinate with them for all activities benefit to the Mon people and reach ultimate goal of restoring Monland.