KAO WAO NEWS No 51
An electronic newsletter for social
justice and freedom in
August 19 -
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READERS' FRONT
FATE OF GUERRILLA LEADER UNKNOWN
FORCED VOLUNTEERS FOR
ANTI-DEMOCRACY DEATH SQUADS
MON CEASE-FIRE LEADERS IN
From Tri-partite Dialogue
to Tri-Offensive Strategy
POWER RESHUFFLE IN
JUNTA DENIES SUU KYI ON HUNGER STRIKE
BUDDHIST
MONKS ARRESTED AND DISROBED
JESUITS AID CHIN REFUGEES IN JUNGLE
EURO-MON MEET DURING SUMMER
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READERS' FRONT
Dear Readers,
We invite
comments and suggestions on improvements to Kao-Wao
newsletter. With your help, we hope that Kao-Wao News
will continue to grow to serve better the needs of those seeking social justice
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Regards,
Editor
kaowao@hotmail.com
http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=1215&lo=d&sl=0
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FATE OF GUERRILLA LEADER UNKNOWN
(Kao-Wao: Updated
The condition and
the whereabouts of Nai Hloin,
leader of Mon guerrilla group is still unknown after the Burmese troops raided
his outfit on August 28 in southern
Quoted from the
IMNA news, Kao Wao reported that the BA killed Nai Hloin, his wife, and two of
his followers during a military operation to wipe out the Mon armed group. Infantry Battalion No. 282 of Coastal Command
surrounded Nai Hloin near
Mi TawHlar village and after an intense fight with
the Burmese troops he was seriously injured, not
killed, accordingly to IMNA’s latest confirmation.
“It was really
bad for our credibility but I am happy the freedom fighter survived. After the news (of his death) was released,
some people even sent condolence messages and some questioned if other groups
created false news. It is difficult for
us to travel this area”, said a field reporter from the border. Some got angry for our carelessness he added.
After the NMSP reached
a cease-fire deal with the ruling military junta in 1995, Nai
Hloin split from the Party in 1997 to resume fighting
against the BA in the rural area. The
two brothers Nai Hloin and Nai Bin led a Mon National Warrior Army (MNWA) of 100
fighters formed with San-She (Long Hair), Nai Bin,
Jai-Daik and Chan-Dein
troops in southern Mon State and the northern part of Tenasserim Division.
Fighting
continues unabated between the BA and the Mon guerrilla groups during military
operations in Ye and Yebyu
townships. The BA restricts movement of
civilians to block off presumed rebel support during military operations. Whenever villagers leave their villages they
need to carry travel ID cards issued by the local battalion, signed by the
military officer and stamped with the name of the battalion. If caught without
their ID cards they risk being shot on sight or tortured.
(Editor’s note:
Please accept our apologies for the mistaken news “Mon Guerrilla Leader Killed
by Army Operation,
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Life in
FORCED VOLUNTEERS FOR
(IMNA:
The Burmese
Army’s Strategic Commands will supervise civil servants and villagers who
recently completed military training, said a local source in
The Strategic
Command will divide the trainees into 8 groups held under its command and will
use them for various purposes including assisting in the BA’s military
operations. They will be stationed in the branch of BA’s local Strategic
Commands in every Township.
On a rotational
basis, about 30 trainees must volunteer under the supervision of the local
Command for a one week period with the army battalion in the area to
participate in launching military offensives; overseeing security in the area;
working on construction projects; and, cooking for troops on the frontline.
After one week, another group of 30 trainees would be called in as
replacements, reported the local source.
Trainees are
divided into 8 groups as (1) local militia; (2) information collecting; (3)
public relations; (4) logistics; (5) relief and resettlement; (6)
transportation; (7) construction, and (8) entertainment group, all under the structure
of coordination with the local Strategic Commands.
The BA is
planning to recruit the wives of policemen for attending the next training
section, as they need more volunteers to reach the targeted quota.
Trainees were
taught 24 types of arm equipping techniques in basic military training and will
continue on with additional management training after forming cell groups among
themselves.
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ANTI-DEMOCRACY DEATH SQUADS
(By Banya Hongsar / September 2003)
Democracy is a
new concept for the younger generation in
The majority of
people in
Senior Gen Than Shwe and his fellow military-men have stepped up
anti-democracy activities toward the leaders of the National League for
Democracy and other non-Burma democratic political parties. He routinely jails
political activists, student leaders, Members of Parliamentary, and
journalists, including women activists and their children. However, without the
cooperation of the Military Intelligence Services (MIS) led by Intelligence
Chief Gen. Khin Nyunt, such an operation for anti-democracy activities will not
be able to take place. Unless the SPDC releases political activists and agree
to an “Unconditional Peace Plan” in
Anti-democracy
gangs are actively involved in forming local pyi-thu-sit,
(literally “People’s Army”) established during the former Gen Ne Win regime as
a paramilitary force working in the rural areas, especially in the Black and
Grey areas to counter insurgency groups in the country. Pyi-thu-sit
earns no salary or receive assistance by the government, but have authority to
impose extortion in the local community. The ‘People’s Army’ are ordered to
stay on alert for “intelligence gathering” and report to the local military
commanders if anything looks suspicious. They operate like this in Mon and
Karen States where active insurgent forces operate in the remote areas. They
have no choice but to participate with the “order of high ranking Burmese
military officials” (known in Burmese as “A-htat-ka-
a-meik”). They not only are trained to counter an
insurgent force, which means targeting civilians, but are also ordered to seek
out and crush democracy activities in the community.
Local Burmese
military commanders exploit poor, uneducated men, who are given arms to exploit
others for personal profit. Many become rich and build new houses, which they
otherwise would never have dreamed of in their lifetime. Almost all villages in
southern
A militiaman from
a village in Kyeikma Yaw Township of Mon State used
to be a poor man selling “palm juice” to feed his family. After the 1988
pro-democracy campaign, the Burmese military junta decided to appoint poorly
educated men for “Pyi-thu-sit’. A poor man from
Another
anti-democracy gang, called “Ya-ah-pha” which
literally means “Village Peace and Development Council”, is composed of a group
of men who work on the “Local Council” with no formal administrative skills and
no proper education. The “ya-ah-pha” also works under
the instruction of “ma-ah-pha” (Township Peace and
Development Council) in an area of over 500 villages in southern
While a few are
elected by local communities without the approval of local BA officials, such
community electing activities are uncounted for by the local Burmese
commanders. Ya-ah-pha work under instruction of
“Township Peace and Development Council” as a tool for the SPDC to maintain its
iron grip over the country, they closely cooperate with the local Burmese
Military Commanders, retired soldiers and policemen.
The third is the
notorious anti-democracy death squad referred to as, “pyi-khaing-phyo”
now nation-wide anti-democratic forces in the country, which operate much like
the death squads (were/are) in Argentina, Columbia, and other dictatorships
around the world. Pyi-khaing-phyo
is short for “Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA)”, headed by
Senior Gen Than Shwe and also is a State sponsored
(terrorist) organization which has a horrific record.
The USDA was
instrumental in the planned assassination attack against Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,
the leader of the National League for Democracy. A report from Mon State say
the USDA claims to have over 400,000 members, including children under the age
of 16, whose sole purpose is to ‘attack civilians.’ USDA has access to
government services and work under the instruction of Military Commanders,
whose leaders are former with retired army personnel and policemen. The report
adds that Min Lwin Aung, Secretary of USDA in
The other group
is the insidious “tha-sa-ka-pha” (Counter-insurgency
Organization) in southern
Since the Depeyin Massacre (Black Friday) in May 30, which killed an
unknown number of pro-democracy supporters and then detained the leader of
National League for Democracy, the ruling regime has increased the numbers of
young members to work with the Red Cross of Myanmar and Fire Brigade Unit in
each town in the Mon State and elsewhere for “Anti-Strike Training”. The regime
named the force as “tha-baik-hlan-a-hpweh
(Anti-Strike Organization). The BA strategically places paramilitary forces
along with the anti-strike force in all major cities. According to a Mon
politician from
The BA totally
controls the para-military force, the
Counter-Insurgent Force, USDA and Anti-Strike Force in the country with strict
military orders to further crush democratic movements in the country. At present,
crimes have increased in southern
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MON CEASE-FIRE LEADERS IN
(Kao Wao:
New Mon State
Party leaders traveled to
According to the
source from the NMSP, the team was led by President Nai
Htin, comprised of Vice-President General Htow Mon, Nai Rotsa,
Joint Secretary General Nai Chan Toi
and other senior leaders.
The ruling
military junta’s media reported that Nai Htin expressed his thanks to the junta for their assistance
at the funeral service for the late NMSP President Nai
Shwe Kyin and; the NMSP would stick to its peace plan
and to regional development programs drawn up by the late President.
The border based
NMSP liaison office said the meeting was a normal process and that the SPDC was
out to seek political support after May 30
(Black Friday) ambush attack on Aung San Suu Kyi and her entourage in upper
“They also
questioned the joint statement released by cease-fire groups that showed their
dissatisfaction with the May 30 attack.
The rhetoric on how the SPDC’s development for economic and national
reconciliation and their war of words over Daw Suu Suu
Kyi,” said an NMSP officer who spoke under anonymity.
A retired NMSP
leader from Zubbu said the government media usually
insults the gathering by writing one-sided stories and adds improper titles to
Mon leaders such as “U” in Burmese instead of “Nai”
in Mon for respected positions.
The NMSP reached
a cease-fire deal with the ruling junta in 1995 after the Thai authorities
added on the pressure for them to sign it.
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Opinion
TIME FOR A CHANGE: FROM TRIPARTITE-DIALOGUE TO
TRI-OFFENSIVE STRATEGY
(By Nai Hongsawatoi)
When I heard
about the meeting between Gen. Khin Nyunt and leaders from the (9) cease-fire
groups, I wasn’t surprised. I predicted that such a meeting between Gen. Khin
Nyunt and the cease-fire groups would occur in the very near future. The groups
had issued a joint statement on 1st July expressing their regret on the Tabeyin Massacre Event. The joint statement by the groups
caused the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) to call on a meeting for
everyone to attend. But it caused uneasiness when Maj. Gen. Kyaw Win, Deputy
Military Intelligence Chief, did not mention anything about the joint statement
and the Tabeyin Massacre at the meeting.
It is just the
dictator’s way not to show fear and to always try to conceal its weakness from
the public’s eye. A dictator does one thing when it means another. It is
undeniable by meeting with these groups that the SPDC is attempting to convince
them to stay away from the democratic camp, especially the NLD and Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi. They don’t come right out and say it but everyone knows
otherwise. The SPDC does not want the
(9) groups to become too cozy with the democratic camp. A consensus taken by
these ceasefire groups is a main concern among the SPDC.
Summoning these
leaders to
This was seen as
a security threat to its existence and the SLORC initiated action to ensure the
continuation of the
The SPDC Military
Regime wants to assert its superiority upon all these groups.
The SPDC wants to
make sure all these groups remain loyal, by testing its loyalty.
The SPDC wants to
show the world and democratic groups that all these (9) groups are absolutely
on their side, and that whatever it does against ASSK and the Democratic Camp,
and all these groups must remain under its command.
The SPDC wants to
separate all these groups from Democratic Camp and will not tolerant any
connection of these groups with the Democratic Camp and with ASSK.
The SPDC wants to
warn these groups that they are being closely watched, it knows everything they
are doing, and to remind them not to step out of line.
It is quite obvious
that the SPDC's meeting is a clear warning signal to those groups that they
will be kept under close scrutiny in the future. And to let them know that
anything they do will not go unnoticed. This reminds me of a similar incident
which occurred at the Karen Revolution Council (KRC) in 1965. KRC reached a cease-fire agreement with the
then Revolutionary Council (RC) led by Gen. Ne Win in 1963. A Peace Talk was
called by the RC, the KRC's Brigade (5) was allowed
to locate somewhere in Thaton District.
The commander of
that Brigade (5) was Bo Lin Htin who was well known
to everyone. President of KRC was Kaw Kazer Saw Handatamve who was
appointed as a special Education Officer of the Education Department and who
lived in
But after more
than two years of the Cease-fire agreement, the KRC came to realize that there
was no progress in terms of political development for the Karen People. So Bo
Lin Htin had some thoughts in his mind to change the
course of action and return to the jungle again. The RC knew very well how to
deal with such a situation and it tried in so many ways to convince him to stay
on in
It was waste of
time for Bo Lin Htin eating and sleeping in
Once again, so
the old story goes, that this meeting between the
Cease-fire groups and Military Junta makes me feel uncomfortable. After a
decade of Cease-Fire agreement with Military Regime there is nothing, up to
now, coming from these agreements in terms of a concrete political solution for
the nationalities. Their own people have demanded a review of the Cease-Fire
agreements, which now have been seen as just a hoax. In the public’s eye they do nothing to bring
round the Military Junta to the negotiation table but wait for others to do
something for them such as international pressure. People now
see them as betrayers to their cause of self-determination and are only in on
it for their own personal interests in the guise of a cease-fire. They
have gradually lost the support of their people. Pressure mounts now for them to change the
course of events because these groups are now starting to understand that they
can no longer survive like this.
They realize that
it is impossible to expect the Three-Parties Dialogue from the Military Junta,
which cold-heartedly denied the results of the 1990 Election and has for the
past 5 decades never respected the rights of the ethnic nationalities. All
these groups are confronted with a very dangerous decision. They won’t survive
for long like this if they can’t do anything for their people, on the other
hand if they try to do something against the Military Junta they will face the same
fate, which happened to KRC. But some know they must do something to gain back
the support of their own people for their survival.
The SPDC knows
this. Any perceived unity among the democratic forces and the armed resistance
forces is a Nuclear Bomb in the making for SPDC. So, it is very important for
them to play their cards right in a new cunning maneuver. Calling on these
groups to
I would like to
say that it is the time for these groups to act immediately before it is too
late. I do not want them to meet the same fate as what happened to Bo Lin Htin and KRC. I
would suggest these groups to exploit the weaknesses of the Military Junta. If
they are politically willing to bring the military junta to negotiating table,
it is the time for them to join hands with the democratic forces and to turn
the tide against the military in a strong force of political will. They should not waste any more time by
expecting a miracle. It is the time for
these groups to take advantage of the innate weakness of the military and not
wait for the Generals to get the upper hand. I hope that if we could launch
three offensives, such as Offensive Without Arms (Non-violent action) led by
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and democratic forces, Offensive With Arms led by armed
resistance groups and Diplomatic Offensive (international campaign), done
collaboratively we will conquer the Military Junta definitively.
The Military
Junta must finally step aside and respect the wishes of the ethnic
nationalities.
It is now time
for change from Tripartite-Dialogue to Tri-Offensive Strategy
Nai Hongsawatoi
Mon National
Council
(The views
expressed here are solely the opinion of the author. Kao-Wao Editor)
*****************************************************
POWER RESHUFFLE IN
(Kao Wao:
The Chairman of
State Peace and Development Council Senior General Than
Shwe has taken up the post as President and Intelligence, while Chief Gen Khin
Nyunt has taken over as Prime Minister in a recent power shift.
According to the
junta’s statement on August 25, Gen Than Shwe is now
the President, and the all-powerful (omnipotent) intelligence chief, Gen Khin
Nyunt is now the Prime Minister.
"In
order to carry out the interests of the state and entire people more
effectively, the SPDC has appointed Gen Khin Nyunt as the Prime Minister in
effect from today," the statement read from the junta’s mouth-piece radio
and television apparatus.
Army
Chief Gen Maung Aye took over the position of vice president, and Secretary-Two
Soe Win will fill Khin Nyunt’s position as Secretary-One of the SPDC. Former Eastern Region commander Thein Sein
will in turn replace Soe Win.
The
political situation in
According to some
Khin
Nyunt, 64, is viewed as outward looking, one of the more moderate figures in
the repressive regime, and the general responsible for handling a UN-sponsored national reconciliation process with Suu Kyi.
The
reshuffle also trimmed off the old and brought young officers into the cabinet
line-up, including U Ko Lay and Thein Shwe as ministers to the PM's Office,
Myint Maung as religious minister, Thein Aung as forestry minister, and Hpay Oo as cooperatives minister.
The
The US State
Department deputy spokesman Philip Reeker says the
international community has made it quite clear that it wants to see a change
in direction in
The
architect of the reshuffle, Senior Gen Than Shwe
remains the most powerful figure in
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JUNTA DENIES SUU KYI ON HUNGER STRIKE
(Cited from AFP;
"We have
already refuted the US State Department's dubious claims on Aung San Suu Kyi's
alleged hunger strike," the junta said in a statement responding to
renewed US claims that the democracy icon was refusing food. "It would be unrealistic and indeed
naive to believe that the
The State
Department said it had "credible reporting" from its
The junta said
the "more groundless claims" were aimed at coinciding with the
upcoming United Nations General Assembly in
The
The National
League for Democracy (NLD) leader is being held in military barracks in the Ye
Mon district of
The junta
immediately denied the
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BUDDHIST
MONKS DISROBED AND DEPORTED
(Kao Wao:
Thai Police arrested Buddhist monks at Bangkadee Thai-Mon community on August 26 and over thirty
Mon monks including two political refugees were arrested and disrobed.
The police raided Wat
Bang Yar and Wat Sudhammavatee in Bang Khun Tein
District, western
The Thai
authorities announced that 189 monasteries in 9 districts are to be searched for illegal entry to the Kingdom. A majority of Mon Buddhist monks were ordained by
one of the most revered and senior monks, Rev. Uttama,
Abbot of Wat Viwekaram in Sangkhlaburi. The
Abbot requested for monks to be returned to their original residence at the
Thai Burma border and exiled Mon communities are writing letters to the Thai
government not to deport them to
In Buddhist principles, monks are obligated to stay
only in their temples during the three months of the raining season and are not
allowed to move or travel to other places. They are also obligated to practice learning,
teaching, preaching and meditation during (Woh/Phan-Sar)
months.
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JESUITS AID CHIN REFUGEES IN JUNGLE
(Based on Chin
Forum:
Members of the
Jesuit Refugee Services visited Chin refugees hiding out in the Putrajaya jungles and gave loads of clothing material and
medical supplies in
Chin Refugee
Committee members led by Mr. Victor Sang spent more than 6 hours in the jungles
handing over the supplies accompanied by the JRS members. As there are an
estimated 400 Chin refugees in this jungle hideout, about two hundred came out
to see the JRS and CRC members.
The JRS also
promised the refugees that they would get more medical supplies, clothes,
mosquito nets and water filters to clean water.
The Chin refugees
in
The source said
Chins are living in the jungle to hide from police detection and deportation,
they will be persecuted in
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EURO-MON MEET IN THE SUMMER
(Kao-Wao:
For the first
time, the Mon community in
According to
organizer of the meeting Nai Banya
Ong, Mons in European countries attended the Euro-Mon
meeting in Copenhagen, the capital city of Denmark, from July 26 to 27 and
formed the Euro-Mon Community, whose aim is to strengthen unity and networking.
The EMC will
engage in education, culture, literature, society and exchange knowledge and
coordinate with other Burmese ethnic nationalities as well as the international
community.
“There are
misunderstandings among us; lack of trust would jeopardize unity among the
ethnic nationalities. The future Federal Union of Burma will be peaceful and
stable only if we can establish trust and respect. Therefore, we should promote
understanding among us and work hand in hand as equal partners. We should form a strong organization that
gives us the opportunity to work together”, said, Bee Htaw
Monzel, the newly elected General Secretary of EMC.
Welcoming
messages from the New Mon State Party and the Mon Unity League were sent to the
meeting.
Exiled MP Nai Thaung Shein chaired the
meeting and EMC selected coordinators in
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