MUL Role & Activities in Mon Community
(June 2007)
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1. Seminar on Mon Study
8 June 2007, participated in Seminar on Mon Study at Thamasart University, Bangkok. Nai Ong Banjun, a core MUL Executive Management Board member and President of Mon Youth Community (MYC) Bangkok, and made presentation about Mon communities in Thailand and about his book "Beginning of the journey from Moulmein". Prof. Suphorn Orchareong from Nakhorn Swan University presented about her thesis on Mon communities in Thailand about 30 years ago while most of Thai Mon people did not dare to identify as Mon and the policy that made the Mon decreased in practicing their culture and literature. Another expert Prof. Bhudhorn Phumin from the institute of archaeology presented in terms of Mon stone inscriptions in Thailand.
2. Preparation for Mon History Seminar: Discovery of Rehmonya Desa
MUL leaders along with other Mon leaders planned with well-known Mon and Thai historians from Chulongkorn University, Silpakarn University, Sirinat Kritwirot University, to hold a seminar on Mon History, Literature and Culture under the name of “Discovery of Rehmonya Desa”. The seminar will be arranged talking, discussing and analyzing about Mon history, civilization, role of Mon literature and culture in Southeast Asia in October in Chulalongkorn University. Mon Youth Community will take responsibility for outdoor exhibition.
Many academics around the world will be invited in 3 days panel sessions at day time and the Seminar Convening Committee also arranged to have some Mon history and dance performance at night time. History performance like “King of Rejahtirat” will be performed by Silpakorn University.
3. MUL View on SPDC’s Ban on MLCC
MUL leadership are in serious concern on the SPDC’s new policy to prohibit the Mon Literature and Culture Committees (MLCCs), which has operated non-violence activities just for preserving Mon literature and culture. This is a serious SPDC plan in their implementation of ‘Burmanization’ policy in order to assimilate not only ethnic Mon people but also other ethnic nationalities. President of MUL expressed on the SPDC’s action to local Mon media as below:
"It is wrong. I again say that the military government is repressive. It has banned community welfare organizations and developed its own organization, the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA)"
4. Mon Language Teaching in Thailand
MUL General Secretary has communicated an International education NGO, for their assistance to provide training to Mon teachers who have taught in Thai school in Wengka Mon village, Sangkhlaburi District. MUL helped arranging training venue, accommodation and other requirements for training.
Brief report is as below:
- Training took for 3 days in 3rd week of June and about 16 Mon teachers attended in this training. The majority of these teachers are teaching in both Kindergarten level and Grade I level.
- They have learned child psychology, children centered teaching methods by skillful trainers and they practically learn how to communicate with children in mother language.
- They are also trained how to work in lesson planning on the daily basis for the children. Trainers also provided to teachers how to evaluate themselves in their teaching skills and handling the classes.
- Teachers express this training is beneficial for them as some of them said it is the first time training in their lives.
5. Supports to Buddhist Mon Monks’ Education
On June 24, MUL Vice President Mi (Ms.) Monhtaw Pongbankadee, and Nai Uthai, who have taking responsibility for Mon Budhist monks education in Thailand, donated financial supports to 70 Mon monks who are learning Buddha teaching and Buddhist scriptures in various Mon monasteries in Thailand. They have a foundation and have sought financial donations for the monks in Mon communities of Thailand.
6. 62nd Year of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s Birthday
Mon and Karen ethnic communities, Mon women and youths organizations, political and human rights organizations in Sangkhlaburi District of Kanchanaburi Province held a birthday ceremony for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who is under house arrest since May 2003.
General Secretary of Mon Unity League expressed Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is as a brave woman in the world who confront the army Generals in Burma. He said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is a ‘people leader’ because she can lead the people and can restore democracy in Burma. He described some parts of speeches given by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, like “second Burma’s independent movement”, “freedom from fear”, “please help our liberty with your liberties”, “we are imprisoned in our own country” and other important words and stretched out the deep meaning of these words. He said, non-Burma ethnic people believed and have a trust on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for national reconciliation, because he is an intellectual and she has lived and learned a lot on Federal Union of a country. Therefore, he thinks ethnic people hope she is the one who can help the problems in Burma.
7. Condolence Letter to Nai Manoit Sak and His Family in Australia
MUL expresses sorrowfulness for the pass away of Nai Manoit Sak, President of Australia Mon Association (AMA), and MUL President sent a condolence letter to AMA and Nai Manoit Sak family as below:
“On behalf of Mon Unity League (MUL) and Mon people in Thailand, we would like to express our sincere condolence in memory of our beloved friend Nai Manot Sak, late president of Australia Mon Association Inc. He was our inspirations for the struggle for the rights of our Mon communities. His inspiration will never die and carry us through the difficult days which still lie ahead. May the soul and the spirit of Nai Manoit Sak will always be with the Lord in Heaven.”