Activities of 250th Anniversary of
Hongsawatoi Fallen Day
In Sangkhlaburi (Thailand-Burma Border)
On May 8, 2007
(Information-2)

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With the coordination of the following Mon organizations in Sangkhlaburi

  • New Mon State Party, Foreign and Alliance Affairs Department
  • Mon Unity League
  • Mon Youth Progressive Organization
  • Human Rights Foundation of Monland
  • Mon Women’s Organization
  • Mon National Education Committee
  • Mon National Health Committee
  • Mon Relief and Development Committee
  • Mon Teachers’ Group
  • Media Groups

The Hongsawatoi Fallen Day (HFD) in Sangkhlaburi Town is cerebrated with the programs of (1) Giving alms to Buddhist monks; (2) Hold HFD ceremony and (3) Pray for those who died in Hongsawatoi (Pegu) last 250 years ago. 

The first program giving alms to 9 Buddhist monks was held at 7: 00 a. m. in the morning and a Senior monk also pray for those who were executed in 250 years ago along with the fall of Mon Kingdom, Hongsawatoi. 

The 2nd program Hongsatawoi Fallen Day ceremony was held at 8: 30 a.m. and over 120 participants including the local village leaders attended the ceremony.  The President of New Mon State Party, Nai Htaw Mon, leads in ceremony as Chairperson and Nai Chan Mon (Independent Mon News Agency) and Mi Seik Nyan (Mon Women’s Organization) are moderators.   

The agendas in the Hongsawatoi Fallen Day are:

  • Remembrance of the Mon people those killed during 250 years ago by the Burman King U Aung Ze Ya’s Genocide in Pegu (Hongsawatoi)
  • Opening speech by Nai Htaw, NMSP President
  • Explanation of Historical Background on HFD by Nai Kasauh Mon, General Secretary of Mon Unity League (MUL)
  • International Statement on 250th Anniversary of HFD is read by Nai Ong Non Rot, Mon Youth Progressive Organization
  • Closing speech by Nai Htaw Mon, NMSP President
  • Closing ceremony with “Rehmonnya” national anthem


NMSP President Urges for the reestablishment of Monland

In the opening speech given by Nai Htaw Mon, he urged the participants that even though all of the Mon people regret for the enormous loss of their nation, women, children and Buddhist monks during genocide committed by Burman king U Aung Ze Ya (Alungphaya) during 250 years ago, but they must keep movement with consistent endeavor until the Mons can re-establish their nation or to achieve the rights to self determination again. 

He said the people even lost their nation about 200 years in the past during the Burman king, Anurutha annexed Thaton Mon Kingdom in A. D. 11st Century, but the Mons can re-establish their kingdom.  There are always opportunities for the Mons to re-establish the Mon nation, but the Mons must keep unity, find the better strategies and struggle in consistent commitment. 

He expresses there has been both domestic and international recognition to the Mons as a PEOPLE although the Burman leadership refused the Mon as a nationality during pre-independence day of Burma.  The Burman leaders always said in the past that “The Mons and Burmans are identical” in their conservation for a ultimate ‘Assimilation Policy’ toward Mon people.  But now, they have to recognize the Mons as a people. 

He said that now, after 250 years the Mons remains as a people without a country, it is the right time to struggle to re-establish the Mon nation with greater autonomy.    

It was a well-planned “Genocide” said by MUL General Secretary

During the period of 250 years, when Burman King U Aung Ze Ya annexed Mon Kingdom in lower part of Burma, he had well-planned of committing “Genocide” against Mon people including Buddhist monks said Nai Kasauh Mon, the General Secretary of Mon Unity League (MUL). 

Based on the history books written in old Mon palm leaves and the western historians’ history books of History of Rangoon and the Mon, the Civilization of South East Asia, there are a lot of evidences, the Burman king planned to kill all Mons and uproot the Mon nationality.  He pointed out how the foreigners expressed their eyewitness of executing large number of Mon monks in Rangoon in 1755 before U Aung Ze Ya overthrew Hongsawatoi. 

He pointed out the history book wrote as:
“His Majesty Aungzeya was of a very fierce and cruel disposition and make no account at all of life.  He put to death many monks, and their iron almsbowls and silk robes were taken away, and the homespun robes were made into foot mats.  Of some they made pillows, of some they made belts, and of some they made sails.  The monks’ robes were scattered all over land and water.”

He expresses that the successive Burman dominated governments in Burma never wrote the true history of their leaders but praised as heroes.  But in Mon history, U Aung Ze Ya was a notorious and inhumane king in treating other non-Burman people. 

The 3rd Program: Candle Light Pray at Buddha Gaya Pagoda

In the evening about 7: 00 p.m., about 100 Mon people in Sangkhlaburi District attend to the Buddha Gaya Pagoda in Wengka Mon village, which was built by a well known Mon abbot Rev. Uttama last 20 years ago.
Attendants, accordingly to tradition of Buddhism, they pray for those who passed away during the Hongsawatoi Fellen Day to relieve from the troubles.  They prayed for Buddhist monks, royal families, leaders and ministers, children and women, soldiers and other ordinary innocent people who were executed in 1757 Genocidal incident. 

An elder Mon, led praying words and the other attendants keep their remembrance in their mind. They give flowers to Lord Buddha and light candle for the brighter life of the Mon people.  Then they pray for the whole Mon generations to not have faced such genocidal incident again in the future.