KAO WAO NEWS No. 65
An electronic newsletter for social justice and
freedom in
March 23-
********************************************
READER’S FRONT
AIDS THREAT GROWING IN SOUTHERN
NMSP DEFENDS AGAINST CAR SMUGGLING
ACCUSATION
NOTHING TO SHOW AFTER 9 YEARS OF CEASE-FIRE
KILLING OF MON OUTRAGE EXILE COMMUNITY
LICENSE RENEWAL FOR MOTORCYCLES IN
CANADIAN ACTIVISTS PUSH FOR
EURO-MON PLAN FOR SECOND
MEETING
TALKS GIVE NEW HOPE FOR PROGRESS
MOVE OVER, BAYINTNAUNG, SAY CEASEFIRE LEADERS
REFUGEE FIRE BOMBS GUT
*****************************************
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 in
Regards,
Editor
kaowao@hotmail.com, kaowao@shaw.ca
____________________________________________________
On Kanbawza Win’s Sanctions and Actions
Dear Kao Wao,
Great in put from
Kanbawza Win, very cleverly analyze on the real
consequences of “Sanctions and Actions”.
The other day I was reading the article about the book: God Has a Dream:
A Vision of Hope for Our Time (Random House, $39.95) written by Archbishop
Desmond Tutu.
Quotes: Problems such as terrorism and the
Regards,
Henry Soe-Win
______________________________________
On Myint Shwe’s Keeping
Dear Myint Shwe,
The Kawaiisu Tribe of Tejon wishes to
support and praise the
Stand together by
joining in what is owned in common and not what is owned and capitalized
on. The future is ours for the right reasons! Know you’re in our
minds and hearts.
Pogmatog Magot (Creator Knows),
Kawaiisu Tribe of Tejon
Chairperson David
Laughing Horse Robinson
*****************************************
AIDS THREAT GROWING IN SOUTHERN
HIV infection in Ye township
(By Taramon and Lita Davidson:
According to a
township hospital blood test report taken between 2001 to 2003, over one
thousand individuals are infected with AIDS/HIV in Ye township alone, there are
10 townships in Mon State.
“Because many HIV
patients don’t visit the hospital, the figure could be more than what the
official records say. The local hospital
does not provide free treatment, but will to those who can afford to pay bribes
to the health workers”, Su-Rein, a community leader from the city said.
According to one
local medic, “Approximately ten thousand people in Ye township could be HIV
positive, many suffer from AIDS but hide their condition from fear of
discrimination”.
“Many victims are
not able to go to the hospital but suffer in isolation. About 5% of 200,000 total populations in this
area are HIV positive,” Nai Soe,
a community leader in Ye said. Some AIDS
patients who can afford it have a doctor visit their house for treatment.
But according to
Care
Rehmonya said there is no
counseling available between doctors and patients on how to deal with the
situation. No preventive education on AIDS is reaching the marginalized
communities, where a radical approach is needed to address the AIDS problem in
the whole of the country, but migrant workers in
Statistics on
AIDS in
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/1562405.stm
(Please see:
Treat
http://www.amfar.org/cgi-bin/iowa/asia/index.html)
If at least 3
percent are infected, over a million people will need access to some kind of
drug treatment. But having access to drugs is a pipedream considering the World
Health Organization’s recent launching of its 3 million by 2005 ART program to
34 high burden countries.
The military
government needs to face up to facts and present their case in the upcoming
International AIDS convention to be held in
Intravenous drug
users and the worst hit in Burma have been getting some help, Médecins Sans Frontières has introduced
the first antiretroviral (ARV) treatment program in the country which began in
February 2003 in Yangon, where it was first detected in 1988; by October 2003,
but only 80 people are under treatment (MSF international homepage).
But other
segments of the population lack access, especially migrant workers, those
working in the mines, fishing industry and the sex industry. When compared on a
global level it should be cause for grave concern because
“Lack of access
to antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a global health emergency. To deliver
antiretroviral treatment to the millions who need it, we must change the way we
think and change the way we act.” LEE Jong-wook,
Director-General, World Health Organization, recently said.
Northern Ye
Township of Mon State captures the magnitude of the problem; Mi Pakao Mu from Lamine
said many women including some of her friends in the village got HIV from their
husbands who worked in
In Mon state,
northern Ye township is the most HIV infected region because many people in
these areas work as migrant labourers, a high risk
population that moves around a lot and visits brothel houses for pleasure. Nai Rehmonya estimated that about one hundred people die every
year in Ye from the deadly disease.
*****************************************
NMSP DEFENDS AGAINST CAR SMUGGLING
ACCUSATION
(Kao
Wao:
New
Mon State Party denies involvement in the vehicle smuggling business along the
Thai Burma border.
The
NMSP responded to a recent news release that some ceasefire groups have been
bootlegging second-hand Japanese cars to
On
According
to local reporter, it is not clear to what extent the groups are involved and
whether the seized cars belong to the cease-fire NMSP or DKBA (Democratic Karen
Buddhist Army).
The
NMSP General Secretary Nai Hongsar
said one or two cars might be brought in for personal use but the NMSP is not involved
in wholesale illegal commercial interests.
However, he admitted that the party lets traders pass the checkpoints,
provide security along the road, and levy some taxes.
A
senior leader of the NMSP who spoke under condition of anonymity said the party
is facing difficulty in maintaining discipline among its force and cadres. Many officers run illegal businesses
including car trade and the selling of cell phones from
After
the cease-fire agreement with the regime, members within the NMSP have become
more corrupt with business opportunities and unity within the party is getting
worse corresponding with reality of daily life for many, with the image of the
party being at a all time low among the Mon population, he added.
All
the seized cars did not pass through the checkpoints run by the Burmese
military junta but went through the jungle path to avoid paying bribes and a
heavy custom duty.
“The
car seizure is not our matter and local civilians are not concerned. It’s only a business conflict among the elite
groups”, said Charn Lon, a community leader from Zobbu (Thanbyu Zayat) city.
**********************************************************
The Right to Food Security
NOTHING TO SHOW AFTER 9 YEARS OF CEASE-FIRE
The country of
(By Sunthorn Sripanngern)
In late 1995
after the New Mon State Party reached a cease-fire agreement with the SLORC
(the present State Peace Development Council), many people hoped for a better
situation particularly in
There were some
agreements for the resettlement of Mon refugees to their home and cross border
assistance via
Our dreams were
in vain not because of the NMSP’s inability or our
lack of uniting the Mon spirit. Our
economy, our society, our country, has been frozen, suspended in time, like an
evil spell cast over the country, because of constant regulations and
restrictions imposed on us by the ruling military junta. The outright denial of
food security threatens the survival of every citizen in
The ruling junta
grants some business concessions to cease fire groups in the field of
transportation, construction, mining, banking and finishing. But by doing so, it split unity within the
ethnic groups agreeing to cease-fire groups, between the leaders, members, and
ordinary people. This advantage spawned
corruption and the cease-fire groups grew untrustworthy and unhappy with their
former supporters, in turn their own people grew disenchanted, social
organization broke down and perpetuated a cycle of conflict, poverty, and
impoverishment.
In 2000, one of
the armed groups in northern Burma MDA (formerly a part of the Burma Communist
Party) faced conflict between its leaders and members as a result of business
opportunities granted by the SPDC. When both sides became exhausted, the SPDC
moved in with a large military offensive, demolished them all and took over
extolling that they must maintain control of the situation.
What did the NMSP
get from the cease-fire agreement? The ceasefire agreement only ensured that
poverty would be more deeply rooted. Burmese dissident groups joked that the
only thing the Mon got was that Nai Shwe Kyin, the NMSP leader, was granted a Burmese passport as a
reward of the cease-fire agreement.
From 1995 up to
2004, a 9-year period of cease-fire, the local people in
Due to the
deteriorating economy many have left their homes to work in foreign
countries. Among the Burmese migrant
workers in
According to the
Asian Legal Resource Centre in its statement to the Human Rights Commission on
Food Scarcity, hunger persists in
See full report
http://www.alrc.net/mainfile.php/60written/229/?print=yes
Farmers in
The national
budget has not increased for the benefit of the people such as public health
and education. According to health indicators from the World Health
Organization on Burma, its population suffers the worst in the region in terms
of health, especially that of adult mortality where 335 males and 236 females
per 1000 die between the ages of 15-59; with life expectancy at birth m/f
(years): 56.2/61.8; 10 years below that of Thailand.
The SPDC doesn’t
care about these issues, but is afraid to lose power while governments in the neighbouring countries do their best to help their own
people. When there is not enough water
for the farmers, neighbouring governments make
artificial rain, when there is low price of their crops the government
intervenes by purchasing with a reasonable price. So the farmers are happy to
work hard, no need to force them. In central
Now
At
*************************************************
14 Mon Rebels Killed by KNU
KILLING OF MON OUTRAED BY EXILE COMMUNITY
(Kao Wao:
The Mon community
in exile is outraged by the news of their fighters being killed by Karen
National Union in Ye, southern
“I am sad to hear
that 14 Mon were killed by the KNU. They
broke the principal of Universal Declaration of Human Rights by killing these
people without any reason. If the Mon
rebels kidnapped local Karen people and demanded money, the KNU should bring
them to justice for penalty and send to jail, but not kill them”, said Lawi, a Mon youth leader based in
Kao Wao news
received several calls about the killing and to ask for further action over the
incident.
Jambu Dip from
Nai Wimala, a Buddhist monk in
According to Nai Pan Nyunt, chairman of the Honsawatoi
Restoration Party, his group was on route to a KNU Six Brigade military post to
buy arms and carrying 8 million kyat (about US $ 10,000) with them. 14 guerrillas led by Captain Tai Kyaw were
reportedly killed on March 20 by the KNU troops near Minhla
village, about 10 miles northeast of Ye,
"We are very
sad that it happened; our fighters were not killed by the enemy but the
alliance. This kind of incident should
not have happened between ethnic forces," said the Commander and leader of
the HRP from the base near Thailand Burma border.
In respond to the
killing by the KNU, Padoh Mahn
Sha, Secretary General of the KNU, has yet confirmed
the incident but said clashes between the two groups may occur since the HRP
has been known to commit robbery in Karen villages.
A Thai Mon leader
said the breakaway group of about 200 fighters was under heavy pressure by both
the military junta and Thai authorities after a negotiation for a peace talk
was cancelled in February.
17 HRP members
were arrested by Thai local authorities for crossing the border from
Negotiated by Nai Soe Myint,
a retired member of the New Mon State Party a delegation of HRP was supposed to
meet with Major General Kyaw Win, a high ranking intelligence officer and
General Ohn Myint, Coastal
Region Commander on Feb 29 in Ranong, the southern
Thai-Burma border town. But Colonel Pan
Nyunt proposed the meeting in
***************************************************
Life in
LICENSE FOR MOTORCYCLES IN
(Independent Mon
News Agency:
According to an
announcement from the local SPDC and Mawlamyine based
No.5 Military Intelligence, the new motorcycle license will replace the
existing license and motorcyclists are informed to change a Mawlamyine
City license immediately.
In the past, the
SPDC had issued
Recently, No.5
Military Intelligence issued the order to those holding the Mon State License
to change it into Mawlamyine City License with
reimbursement money paid for by the State License.
However, the
reimbursement, according to the order, would be 10,000 kyat while the new
license fee is 100,000 kyat. A biker
from the capital said people are upset with the order because it costs too
much.
At the moment,
people in Mawlamyine started to register for city
licenses at the Highway Transportation Department but were disappointed because
it increased 10th times from the previous license.
The local source
reported fees for motorcycles made in 2004 and 2003 cost 180,000 kyat and fees
for 2000, 2001 and 2002 model motorcycles cost from 130,000 to 140,000
kyat.
Imported
motorcycles have been widely used in
*********************************************
Awareness Campaign
CANADIAN ACTIVISTS PUSH
FOR
(Kao
Wao:
Amnesty
International (
“We
are going to devote our last Amnesty meeting to letter writing for
In
Those
newly elected were Daryl Webster as President, Than Aung as Vice
President, Rachel Bocock as Secretary and Phyllis Bocock as Treasurer. Dr. Khin Saw Win, Yi Yi Datar and Saw Darlin Aung were selected as Directors.
Among
Burma supporters in Edmonton who joined the meeting were Tiger Yawnghwe, son of Burma’s first President Sao Shwe Thike who traveled from Red Deer, Alberta, and active
members of Mon Canadian Society who came from Calgary, Alberta.
According
to Thang Aung, Vice President of the BWI, a working
committee meeting was held on March 31 and is looking for closer cooperation
and coordination among all ethnic groups of
The
BWI was founded by a group of Canadians and Canadian Burmese activists in 1989,
in Edmonton, with the objective to promote public awareness of the political
and economical situation of the plight of the Burmese people and provide
humanitarian assistance to those in need, especially refugees.
At the federal
level, a Member of Parliament and Bloc Québécois critic
for
********************************************************
EURO-MON PLAN FOR SECOND
MEETING
(Kao Wao:
The Euro-Mon
Community is organizing its 2nd annual meeting on
Nai Bee Htaw Monzel, General Secretary of
Euro Mon Community has sent out invitation letters to EMC members and other Mon
supporters to join the gathering, which is scheduled from
The first general
meeting was held in
Mon delegates in
The aim of the
Euro-Mon Community is to strengthen unity and networking, to promote education,
culture, and literature, and to coordinate with other Burmese ethnic
nationalities as well as the international community.
*****************************************************
TALKS GIVE NEW HOPE FOR PROGRESS
(Larry Jagan:
There is growing
evidence that
Burma's military
leaders are also about to take the first step towards drawing up a new
constitution by reconvening the National Convention next month after a
nine-year adjournment. The National Convention is to draft the principles upon
which the new constitution will be based. For the national reconciliation
process to be credible, Ms Suu Kyi and the NLD would have to be involved.
Ms Suu Kyi is now
almost certain to be released from house arrest within the next few weeks and
the NLD allowed to re-open its offices across the
country. The ``closed temporarily'' sign on the NLD headquarters in
"Aung San
Suu Kyi will be fully free, able to meet other members of her party, and
conduct normal political activities before the National Convention convenes,''
Burmese Foreign Minister Win Aung told the Bangkok Post recently on the Thai
island resort of Phuket. "The NLD
will also be allowed to re-open their offices before the convention gets under
way.'' But for this to happen, it seems likely that the regime must
have struck a deal with the opposition leader, or at least feel it is in the
process of doing so. "We are working on creating a good
atmosphere between us,'' said Win Aung. ``Before we fought, now we talk.''
There is no doubt
that
Both sides seem
to be happy with the level of discussion during these monthly sessions.
"The talks have been frank and open,'' according to military intelligence
sources, ranging from the government's fear that the opposition leader is a
pawn of the West and Ms Suu Kyi's support for
sanctions. The triumvirate is believed to have met Ms Suu Kyi in the past week
or so, according to Rangoon-based diplomats.
"There must
have been a deal struck during those talks on the NLD's
participation in the National Convention,'' said a western diplomat who is
responsible for relations with
If a deal is on
the table, Ms Suu Kyi would want to discuss this with the rest of the NLD's central executive committee, several of whom are
still under house arrest. And this is just what seems to be happening at the
moment. At least one secret meeting between Ms Suu Kyi and some of the other
NLD leaders has taken place, according to an Asian diplomat who closely follows
developments in
The next steps if
a deal is to be struck may also involve Ms Suu Kyi meeting with the prime
minister to seal any agreement that might have been reached between her and the
military's negotiating team. The opening of the NLD offices and the
release of all the NLD leaders should also happen in the next few weeks if the
regime is committed to involving Ms Suu Kyi and the NLD in the National
Convention. The announcement of the reconvening of the National
Convention has caught most Rangoon-based diplomats and seasoned observers by
surprise. "The fact that it was announced on local television seems
to suggest that it was aimed at the domestic constituency rather than posturing
for the international audience,'' said an Asian diplomat in
While there have
been growing signs in Rangoon over the past few weeks that the regime was
preparing to release Ms Suu Kyi after the Water Festival celebrations for the
Burmese New Year next week, there has been little evidence that the National
Convention was to about to start its work any time soon. It seems it may
have been the strong urging of the Chinese deputy prime minister, Wu Yi, who
has just completed a significant visit to Rangoon, that may have convinced
Senior General Than Shwe to allow the prime minister to take the first real
step in the government's road map to democracy.
"It is
difficult to see how a constitution drafting process in which the participants
are not free to discuss and debate issues, within their organisation
and with the wider population, could be viewed as credible, or could lead to
genuine national reconciliation,'' said a western diplomat in Rangoon. So while
the announcement of the start of the National Convention on May 17 is another
tentative step in General Khin Nyunt's national
reconciliation process, its real significance will only
emerge when the National Convention actually meets. Many diplomats in
*************************************
MOVE OVER, BAYINTNAUNG, SAY CEASEFIRE LEADERS
(Shan Herald
Agency for News:
Childish ideas of
today's elders are no longer relished by the new generation, writes a Shan
author in Chit Kyi Ye (Unity Journal), a publication by the
ceasefire groups.
"Books
on Anawrahta, Alaungpaya
and Bayintnaung are no longer in their favorite
booklist," says Sai Naymin
in his essay, New curriculum for the union. "Globalization
has arrived, thereby eclipsing Nationalism. Greater Nation Chauvinism no longer
works. The book we need to hold fast to in its stead is The
art of co-existence."
Using the
metaphor of a soccer event to explain the forthcoming National Convention, he
says, "If the fully outfitted champion team does not allow its challengers
even to wear football boots, it is not going to be a fair contest. We need fair
play. And this match is being watched not only by spectators from a single village
as before, but by the whole world."
The
editorial also demands "a different kind of national convention",
where freedom of expression, equal representation and participation of
non-ceasefire groups are welcomed.
Another
author, Min Ye Mon, also reminds its readers that the Middle East's roadmap,
from which the word "roadmap" was borrowed, was not made up of
"a mere 5-6 sentences" but drawn "thoroughly" down to the
last detail.
The
first issue of the Chit Kyi Ye journal, previously translated by
S.H.A.N. as "Fraternity", was published in September 2003, and the
second in December 2003.
********************************************
REFUGEE FIRE BOMBS GUT
(Reuters:
"It's burned
through the entire building," said a Reuters
journalist, who added the two-story structure remained standing.
State news agency
Bernama, citing security sources, said several people
were injured in the attack.
A police source
said Burmese Muslim Rohingyas threw at least two
petrol bombs at the building, which witnesses at the scene said followed an
argument with embassy staff. About a quarter-million Rohingya
refugees have fled predominantly Buddhist Burmese saying they were
persecuted under the military government.
*************************************************
KAO WAO NEWS GROUP
Email: kaowao@hotmail.com, kaowao@shaw.ca
Tel: + 66 7 169 0971 (
Tel: + 1- 403 - 248 2027 (
http://www.burmalibrary.org/show.php?cat=1215&lo=d&sl=0
Online
ABOUT US
Kao-Woo Newsgroup
is committed to social justice, peace, and democracy in