Monland Update (September 2007)

Monland Update is a monthly publication of Mon Unity League (MUL) for a historical records of Monland and the activities of MUL in Thailand and Thai-Burma border for the rights of self-determination to Mon people

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Politics:

Protests in Mon State & crack down by SPDC

Starting from September 24, 2007, after a continuation of protests from Rangoon, the Buddhist monks in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State led a demonstration with chanting stuppas and praying Dhamma for passion and good life of the people. While the monks walked for praying and demonstrating their passion for the people, some University students also joined in. Thousand of people paid obeisance and watched the monks. More than five thousands of people followed the monks and gave them drinking water.

On September 25, the Buddhist monks and the residents in Moulmein city continued their protests. Many university students who completed their final exams also joined in the protests although the local military command, South East Command ordered them to return homes. Over 5000 protests on Moulmein streets and they walked in many city wards of the city.

On September 26, about 15000 demonstrators gathered in the demonstration on this day after many Mon and Karen Buddhist monks from Mon State and Karen State. Mon monks and citizens from Mudon Township of Mon State, Kawkareik Township of Karen State also joined in this demonstration. The monks who led the protest held religious flags, reversed monk's bowl and placards reading "Gain with affection (benevolence)". The protest was started 1:50 p.m. and concluded at 5.p.m.

On September 28, the local authorities threatened the demonstrators to not walk on the streets and ordered the monks to go back to their homes. Students were ordered to get back to their homes and stopped demonstration. After four days of protests in the city, the Military Southeast Command went to each monastery in the city and threatened the abbots that they would be shot if the monk continued their protest. The Burma Army put in place tight security in the biggest monastery in the city and monitor the activities of the monks.

On September 29, the local authorities and troops of Burmese Army in Moulmein went into some Buddhist monasteries and Moulmein University campus, and forced some monks and students who came from other Townships and villages to return their homes as quick as possible. In order to have education, many students and young monks came from different areas of Mon State and Karen State. Since the authorities attempted to disperse the protests, they have forced them to go back home outside of Moulmein suddenly. They also threatened students and monks that if they were arrested in city again, they will be punished as ‘imprisonment’. (Source: MUL Information Sheet, and Independent Mon News Agency).

The students from Moulmein University were unhappy after the leaders of 88 Generation Students were arrested for their protests on the increase of fuel price. On September 15, the students put many posters in University campus and in some city wards describing their dissatisfaction on the arrests of 88 Generation students and demand for the decrease of fuel price. (Source: IMNA).

The Mon ceasefire group, New Mon State Party (NMSP), released an ‘Opinion Statement” on the mounting protests led by the monks and NMSP mentioned that the protected monks are expressing on behalf of the people how they are facing socio-economic crises and how they want to overcome these crises. In the Statement, NMSP also demanded for peaceful resolution as below:

“NMSP suggests that there is a need for a political dialogue between the military government and all opposition political parties to solve the problems in a systematic and peaceful means.”
(Source: MUL Information Sheet)

Economics

The value of the Kyat has decreased in relation to the Thai Baht and has been unstable over the last two days. Now 40 Kyat is equal to one Baht. One Baht is worth around 40.60 Kyat in Three Pagoda Pass border, where the border gate is closed and there are not many traders and business people left. Kyat 4080 fetches 100 Baht in the Myawadi-Mae Sot border area. Most of the Thai goods imported to Karen and Mon State is done through the Mae-Sot Thailand border town to Myawadi, Burma border town due to better communication, where the Asia High way from Thailand cross through Burma. (Source: IMNA)

Since the situation in Burma has been unable following the mounting protects, the local authorities in the Thailand-Burma border area continuously closed the border trade and also restricted the movement of the traders. Additionally, the people in the border are trying to get fuel and gasoline from Thailand at a better price and try to sell in Burma. But the authorities have not allowed to trade fuel and gasoline from the border area to deep inside Mon State and Karen State in a enormous amount. (Source: MUL Information Sheet)

The Mon villagers in Thanbyuzayat Township of Mon State have to pay a lot of money to the local authorities in order to secure for electricity in their own villages. The villages like Karote-pi, Pa-nga, Htin-yuu (Proi in Mon) and other villages have to provide about 30 Million Kyat payment to the authorities to provide them electricity. But the villagers said they can secure only in maximum 10 days within a month. They also said that the electricity is not reliable for running small factories and other businesses. (Soure: Consulation with a local villager and IMNA)

The Three Pagodas Pass Development Company, which has six shoe units and employs 2,000 daily workers, is unable to give work to its employees every day because it does not have enough raw materials, according to a manager. “Each batch of workers gets to work every four days,” said the manager. Since Burmese authorities have closed the border check point and restricted movement of local furniture for export to Thailand, many local residents have become jobless. They seek job opportunities in the Three Pagodas Pass Development Company. (Soure: IMNA)

Education

With the coordination of Mahidol University and Ministry of Education, a workshop for a bi-langual education was held in Thailand in order to use ethnic language, like Mon, Sakaw Karen, Kamer, and other minority language will be used in schools in the ethnic areas of Thailand. Before the schools can use these language, the acedemics from Mahidol University, who are the experts of linguistics, are planning to produce the textbooks that can be accepted by Ministry of Education. As a part of curriculum development, these experts came and consulted with the community people who understand the literature and culture role of ethnic people. (Soure: MUL Information Sheet)

Human Rights

Taxation: SPDC authorities in Mon State have been forcing local people to buy and grow castor oil plants in Moulmein District (which covers about 5 Townships), Mon State. The order from Moulmein District secretary U Than Sein stated that every house in Moulmein had to buy 4-5 castor oil seedlings and grow them in front of their house. They had to pay 500 kyat per plant. After the castor oil plants did not grow successfully, authorities re-sell the plants and have informed them re-grown. Some local people said that this project was just a money-making venture for authorities, and would never be successful for residents. Once they receive their money, authorities are indifferent about the success of the crop. (Source: Human Rights Foundation of Monland - HURFOM)

Mistreatment: Between August 21 and August 24, 2007, Nai San Oo (not his real name), a 28 year old from Toe-Thet-Ywar-Thit village, was arrested by Burmese soldiers led by Sergeant Thet Zaw Oo from the Light Infantry Battalion No. 586, under Military Operations and Management Command (MOMC) No. 19. Mg San Oo was arrested at the edge of Koe-Mine Village, where he was attending the funeral of a relative.   “He was beaten on his back and legs with a bamboo pole. His face is covered with black welts from the torture he received. They accused him of being a reporter for a Mon rebel group. They interrogated him and when they were dissatisfied with his answers, they beat him. We can hear him crying in pain, even from far away,” said a witness from Toe-Thet-Ywa-Thit who didn’t give her name.   Nai San Oo is currently seeing a former New Mon State Party medic because he cannot afford to have his wounds taken care of in a hospital. (Source: HURFOM)

Movement Restriction: The Burma Army's offensive against Mon rebel groups in southern Mon state and northern Tenasserim division is confining people to their villages.   Since April, the Military Operation Management Comment (MOMC) 19 launched military operations in the area.   Villagers in Khaw-zar Sub Township in Ye and north of Yebyu Township Tenesserin Division were barred from going out of their villages to work in the plantations and farms. This was done to effectively cut off contact between local people and Mon rebels. (Source: HURFOM)

Arbitrary Arrest: Four women and a man were arrested by a Burmese Army officer from Infantry Battalion No.31 based in Khaw-zar town in southern Mon State on suspicion of passing on information to organizations in exile.   Telephone owners Nai Aung Khin (40) Mi Kon Payu (60) Ma Nu (4), Ma Hla Win (35) and Mi Chan Kyi (18) were detained in the barracks and are being interrogated, family sources said.   The entire cordless phone supplies in Mi Kon Payu's house were seized by the army officer on September 16 following the arrests, the sources added. (Source: IMNA)

Forced labour: About 20 villagers in Thanphuzayart, Mon State were forced to cover up the Kanbauk- Myaingkalay gas pipeline along the Ye-Moulmein motor road this morning.   Villagers from New Waekali covered up the gas pipeline part of which was visible following erosion by water.   According to villagers, they were forced by village headmen on the orders of an army officer.   Villagers were also forced to fence the pipeline and were paid nothing. According to villagers in the area they are regularly forced to cover the pipe and guard the pipeline. (Source: IMNA)

Immigration

The new curfew laws for migrant workers imposed by the Thai government has led to about 300 labour activists protesting outside the Government house in Bangkok from 9 a.m. to noon on August 30. Recently, the Thai government announced that migrant workers will not be allowed to use mobile phones, ride motorcycles, and cannot go out after 8 p.m. Since then many labour organizations around Thailand have rallied against the law by sending letters to the Ministry of Labour. There has been no response from the government yet. That is why "we are taking the next step and have protested around Government house saying we reject the law," said Ko Htwe an executive member of Seafarer Union of Burma. Many people spoke at the protest in Thai, Cambodian and Burmese, that it is not fair on migrant workers and then they walked towards the International Labour Organization office.(Source: IMNA)