NCUB: Burmese Military Orders Mon S

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Media Release
September 2, 1998

Burmese Authorities Order 120 Ethnic Mon Schools to Close

Burma's military authorities have ordered the closure of more
than 120 Mon National Schools in Mon State in southeast Burma,
breaking an agreement with a Mon cease-fire group.

The order to close the schools was issued on July 16 by the
Commander of Military Intelligence Unit 5 (MI-5) based in
Moulmein, Mon State. 

It is not yet known how many schools have been subsequently shut
down, however if all 123 schools were closed an estimated six
thousand students would be affected.

The 123 Mon National Schools are operated by the New Mon State
Party (NMSP) which signed a cease-fire agreement in 1995 with the
military authorities. Under the agreement, the NMSP was allowed
to operate the Mon National Schools. Apart from the 123 Mon
National Schools in Mon State, a further 170 schools are jointly
administered by the NMSP and the military authorities.

In 1997, the authorities advised that the teaching of Mon
language would no longer be permitted in the 170 jointly
administered schools. However, there has been significant
resistance from the Mon people to this new policy. 

As a result of this new language policy, and because of
increasing education expenses and teacher shortages, Mon students
have begun transferring from the 170 jointly administered schools
to the Mon National Schools. As a result, the military
authorities have ordered the closure of the Mon National Schools. 
   

In a letter from Military Intelligence to the NMSP, the Commander
of MI-5 stated that the operation of the Mon National Schools has
had a negative impact on official education policy.

Foreign Affairs Committee
National Council of the Union of Burma (NCUB)

For more information, please call 01 828 3741, 01 654 2778, 01
308 1994, 01 253 9082.