[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

letter to UN from MRC




May 18, 1998

Mr. Kofi Annan
General Secretary
United Nations
New York, NY 10017.

Dear Mr. Annan:

I am writing you on behalf of the Mon people, an ethnic minority group of
the Union of Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. The Mon, along with other ethnic
minority groups, are seeking for peace, equal rights, legal status and
self-determination within Burma. We are demonstrating in Washington today,
May 18th, on the 241st anniversary of Hongsawatoi (Pegu) Destruction Day,
the day on which the Mon
people lost their independence. We would like to draw your attention to
our concerns and to ask for your assistance in effecting a peaceful
change.

As you may be aware, human rights violations in Burma date back to 1962
when the General Ne Win  took power. Because he imposed a strict isolationist
policy, these violations were not well-known internationally. However, in 1988, after
the military took power and slaughtered several thousand Burmese who participated
in pro-democracy demonstrations, these violations were brought to international
attention. Currently, these violations include forced labor, torture and "ethnic
cleansing." 

Within the last five years, hundreds have had to flee Burma.  Over 200,000
people are located in refugee camps along the border between Burma and
Thailand.   Hundreds of others have sought asylum in the third countries.
But refugee camps and asylum are not enough. Instead, the Mon want to
ensure a peaceful,democratic process for the approximately 4 millions Mon people in Monland in southern
Burma.

We realize the United Nations is already monitoring the situation, but we
feel that persistent human rights violations and the refusal of the military of
the Union of Myanmar to apply United Nations resolutions makes this is an urgent
matter. For this reason we are asking for more active involvement from the United
Nations Security Council.

Attached to this letter are some suggestions that we as overseas Mon
people are making for practical intervention. We particularly ask for assistance in
implementing peaceful negotiations among all ethnicities in Burma, for enacting an
arms embargo, and for effecting withdrawal of multi-national corporations who are
contributing to the injustices within Burma.

We thank you for consideration of our request and strongly urge you to
take practical action to support the Mon people in a peaceful struggle for freedom
and ethnic minority rights in Burma.





				Sincerely,



				
				
				Pon Nya Mon,Chairman
				Monland Restoration Council
				213 Cumberland Avenue
				Fort Wayne, IN
				46805

					PH/FAX:	1-219-471-3961
					email:nyap01@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

		 	
	

	The Mon people of Burma urge you 
	to respond our concerns. 


 To engage in political dialogues with the Burmese government:

	Urge the current military government of Burma to hold a peaceful
dialogue betwee
n the opposition party and ethnic national leaders to stop civil war
within Burma
 unconditionally.
 
To build national reconciliation within Burma: 
	
	Appoint a National High Court Committee in Burma, including Burman
and non-Burma
n people to negotiate legal rights for all ethnic people of Burma 

	Call for a national assembly which would include all political
parties and all e
thnic people of Burma.
 
	
	Call for international advisers and United Nations Security
Council to keep a legal portfolio of the resolution of dialogues.


To facilitate the creation of a National Constitution:

	Assist in creating a state constitution written by a collaborative
effort by all
 political parties and ethnic political leaders of Burma.
 
	Ensure creation of a Burmese constitution which ensures a
progressive democratic
 system and strongly recommends formation of a Federal State of Burma in
the cons
titution.

	
To stop armed trade with Burma: 
	
	Prevent the international armed trade companies from exporting
arms to Burma in 
order to achieve peace and dialogue of Burma.
 
	 
 To support the Mon in their political struggle:
 
	Voice your support for the Mon who have been seeking peace and
self-determinatio
n in Burma through armed and political action for a half decade.
 
	 
	Officially recognize Mon politicians both within and outside of
Burma in order 
to support their struggle for democracy in Burma.