MUL Role & Activities in Mon Community
(September 2007)
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1. MUL Appeal to UN Security Council
In the last week of S eptember, during the SPDC and troops of Burmese Army was involving in crackdown against the peaceful demonstrators of Buddhist monks and civilians in streets of Rangoon and other cities, there is a need for the UN Security Council to get involved to stop bloodshed and find a political solution in Burma. On September 30, MUL made appeal the International Community and UN Security Council (UNSC) and the texts are as below:
An Appeal from MUL (Mon Unity League) to solve the crisis in Burma
30 September 2007
Burma is a country where most of its population deeply devotes in Buddhism that comprises of three refuges namely Buddha, Damma and Sangha (monks). It is the task of the Sangha in accordance with Buddhist precepts to help people in distress. The recent demonstration led by the Buddhist monks was to help the people of Burma who fell in distress for decades. It was reasonable and justice in terms of Buddhist precepts and human rights.
But extremely feel sad to see the soldiers of ruling junta – State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) - brutally treated the Buddhist monks in cracking down the march of praying monks on the streets and violently raid on monasteries at night for arresting and torturing. The soldiers forced the monks to crawl up onto the trucks. Such manner of religious persecution is accounted a destruction of religion that should be terminated as soon as possible.
Therefore,
- We humbly appeal to the whole world to help the people in distress and to restore civilization in Burma by dismissing the ruling junta from power.
- We urgently request the International Community especially UN Security Council to agree on that Burma military is a real threat not only for its own people but also to the neighboring countries.
- We demand to International Community that to put meaningful and fruitful political dialogue firstly between the military regime and pro-democracy oppositions and then ethnic nationalities.
MUL strongly oppose any use of force and violence against the peaceful demonstrators and open killing. This is against the international laws and Buddist teaching. It also points out that SPDC has responsibility for these killing, arrests and brutal treatments against peaceful demonstrators.
Executive Board, Mon Unity League
2. Workshop on Mon language curriculum in Thai schools
From September 20 to 22, there was a Workshop arranged by Mahidol University in Sangkhlaburi to discuss among the Academics, the community people, Mon teachers and Thai teachers how to develop a Mon language curriculum to use in schools. MUL team involved in discussion as experts on Mon language and contributed idea how to develop Mon curriculum. In the workshop, the participants also discussed that there are two different types of Mon students in Thailand, and the first category is the Mon students who can already speak Mon language and second category is those who cannot speak Mon but they are from Mon communities. Thai-Mon communities also want their children to speak Mon at schools and communities and they also want the schools to encourage about teaching of Mon speaking in school time. But for the communities, where the children already can speak Mon needs to read and write Mon language during the elementary level of education and Mon language will be used as bridge to climb up Thai language.
There are about 15 Mon teachers are getting involved in teaching of Mon language to Mon children in Wengka Mon village as mobile project activities for over one academic year. It has founded some successes and good coordination between Mon and Thai teachers. But there is a need to improve the teaching skills of Mon teachers.