Mon Information Service July 1995

[an116409@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

                    M0N INFORMATION SERVICE
                          29.7.1995

Contains
1.    STATEMENT ON CEASE-FIRE   BETWEEN THE STATE LAW AND ORDER  
      RESTORATION COUNCIL(SLORC) AND THE NEW MON STATE PARTY (NMSP). 
2.    HUMAN RIGHTS INTERVIEWS
3.    WHO ARE THE MONS? WITH ADDRESSES





1.                               THE NEW MON STATE PARTY
                                    GENERAL HEADQUARTERS

STATEMENT ON CEASE-FIRE BETWEEN THE STATE LAW AND ORDERS RESTORATION  
COUNCIL (SLORC) AND THE NEW MON STATE PARTY (NMSP)

 It is almost half a century that Mon resistance movement has gone through 
for freedom enjoying full rights of self-determination. In so doing, Mon 
prefer to solve their desired aspirations by peaceful means.  But 
successive governments, denial and oppressive actions left them with no 
other alternative than to take up arms which has lasted more than 47-years 
 . Though the armed resistance had borne some gruit in their  favors, 
painful  sacrifices in lives and property had also been paid by them.

The trend of the world events in the few years have changed and gathered 
momentum in such a way that political problems are solved by peaceful 
negotiation rather than by arms conflict. The New Mon State Party (NMSP) 
also believes that political problems could successfully be solved by 
political means through dialogues. 


Deep contemplation by the Mon leadership of the current situation was made 
after initiative for cease-fire was called for by the State Law and Order 
Restoration Council (SLORC). With a view to unify the Mon populace  and to 
further develop the fruits of armed resistance, acceptance of dialogue with 
representatives of the SLORC was made. 

After negotiation for four times an amicable agreement was reached 
resulting in cease-fire ceremony on 29, June 1995. 

This truce is just merely a military cease-fire.

An arduous task of find satisfactory political solution is still in 
abeyance. During period of this cease-fire, the NMSP armed forces will 
retain their arms while carrying on its miscellaneous tasks as situation 
permits. On the other hand, work beneficial to the party as well as to 
general public would be carried out widely in conciliation with SLORC. For 
development of Mon areas, in some cases, joint-venture between the party 
and the SLORC would be practiced, while in the other case, it would be done 
between in the party and the private sector. Endeavors would be made as 
much as feasible to boost up Mon national movement. 

Thus, after abandoning the method of violent struggle, the method of 
peaceful negotiation will be followed for our national movement. The NMSP 
will carry on with the trend of current political tidal waves of changes.  
With full endurance and without surrendering our arms, We will solidify  
the unity of the Mon and hereby declare to struggle with determination 
together with the peoples of other ethnic nationalities  for restoration  
of peace, democracy and human rights in the country, in accordance with the 
program laid down for Mon freedom.



Date 13/July, 1995	Central Committe	New Mon State Party

**********  <<<<<<<<<<   >>>>>>>>>>>  *****************

2. Interviews

1#

Name; 		Sein Win
Sex;		Male 
Age;		34 Years
Occupation;  	Farmer
Ethnicity;	Mon
Religion;	Buddhist
Native;		Welkawal village, Ye township Mon state
Interviewed 	In May/1995 at Payaw Mon refugee camp by
		Images Asia Tape Log,

About in September, on my return from the farm while I was having about of 
malaria, I was taken away by them. After being beaten on the way then later 
all tied me up with ropes also in my neck on arrival at my  relative's 
house. Then finally, I was taken to the Army camp. Then my legs were 
lock-up in stock. Afterwards, I was interrogated by beating, alleging me 
that, I was helping Mon soldiers and asked me questions as where the 
wireless-set and gun were. I said I was an ordinary man and I did know any 
thing about that. Because I was innocent, I was not afraid of  their 
threaten, but they did not accept it. I was so severely beaten that I lost 
fainted for three times. Blood flowed out from nose profusely. I was so 
weaken by the beating that I even did not know what I had answered to them. 
They questioned me in Burmese but I was beaten again when I answered in Mon 
because I could not speak Burmese. After losing conciseness for one hour, 
they untied all the ropes but my legs were still locked up in stock. I 
tired and felt a sleep until mid-night. When I woke up again they continued 
questioning me with more severe beating  but I was numbed. There were 
altogether four soldiers who beated me. One with two strips, one with one 
strip and the other two were ordinary  soldiers. They were from Regiment 
No. 104 and under the command of Maj.  San Wai. 

Blind folded, an interpreter was called for, legs were locked in stock, 
stepping on my tight and hit with the back edge of knife. They tied me up  
like a dummy and beaten for three nights. They threatened me if not 
disclosed, I would be shot and killed the next day. I had nothing to say as 
an ordinary villager. They also alleged me that I possessed guns. I  was 
released after my relatives bribing 15,000 kyats. Following the beating, I 
was almost out of my mind and I was running around in the village like a 
crazy man and my son followed and pulled me from the back. 

I could not help but to suffer. I wished I could kill them all on the  spot 
if it was possible. 

The SLORC soldiers also tortured villagers very rudely. All the women  from 
the village were taken to the field and let them stay in the hot sun light 
because the men in their family had evaded the forced tasks assigned by 
soldiers. There were about 60-70 women including both young, old and 
pregnant women. Some old women got fainted because of intense heat of the 
sunlight. They were not allowed to cover themselves from the sun light with 
their 'Longyi'. Whenever they try to do that, they were beaten. All those 
women were released only when the men came back to work. Those women also 
were not allowed to drink.  

About in March this year, two men from our village met the SLORC soldiers 
on the band of the stream when they went for fishing. Then they were  
ordered to dig up the sand and then one of the fisher men was ordered to 
lie in the trench, they digged and covered him with the sand except his 
head. After that the soldiers ordered the other one to mourn over the  
fellow fisherman who lied in the trench like a dead man. When the fishermen 
acted as ordered for two hours, they laughed loudly. In that  way they made 
fun of other.
   ***************   <<<<<<<<<<< >>>>>>>>>> *****************


2#

Name; 		Nai Ye
Sex;		Male
Age;		75 years old
Ethnicity;	Mon
Religion;	Buddhist
Occupation;	Farmer
Native;		Sinkyaw village, Yephyu township 
		Tenasserim Division.
Interviewed  	In May/1995 at Payaw Mon refugee camp by Images Asia Tape 
Log.

I didn't suffer much because I was old. The villagers had been conscripted 
for  the rail-way construction or paid fine for not going to work. Some 
were arrested and tortured. I left the village because I could  not pay 
money, they took twice a month and some time thrice. Because of my passed 
experience during the Japanese time, this forced labored is worse than that 
time. We did not have to pay money, we only had to work and even we could 
earn money from the Japanese. But now no money, only labor. Sometime even 
beaten and also no food. People have no time to work for their survival. 
When we could not pay the money, they took all which we earned with many 
difficulties. We had been suffered in that way  for two years already. 

I won't go back until the Burmese era come to an end and I hope that there 
will be peace only the Mon people regain own country. 

************ <<<<<<< >>>>>>>>  *************



3. WHO ARE THE MONS?
*****************

WHO ARE THE MONS?

Concentrated between Burma and Thailand, there are an estimated 8 million 
Mons in the world today. Yet, their rights often go unrecognized. Like  
many indigenous peoples of this region, for the past forty years the  
central government in both Rangoon and Bangkok have ignored and attempted  
ethnocide of the Mon people -- who were the original inhabitants in the  
Burmese-Thai region. The Mon language is a distant relative of the Khamer  
(Cambodia) language group, having no similarities with Burmese and the  
Burmese alphabet is based on the Mon alphabet. 

After successive waves of Burman and Thai immigrations from the north in  
the last millennia, and after repeated attacks the kingdom of the peaceful  
Mons was defeated in 1757 and the higher culture taken as war booty to  
upper Burma by the Burmese king and many hundred thousands of Mon had  been 
facing genocide. Meanwhile, in Thailand Mons were given special  areas to 
live and found sympathetic favor under the Thai king, himself a  descendent 
of the Mons, mostly in areas around Bangkok's main river.

Present Situation

Today, however, the situation is radically different with assimilation  
rampant on both sides of the border. Centralization and capitalism are  
working hand in hand to annihilate all indigenous peoples. A planned gas  
pipeline from Burma's Gulf of Martaban will dissect Monland on its way  
into energy-strapped Thailand, and so foreign policy in the era of  
"constructive engagement" does not favor the Mon people (as was seen by  
the recent Halockhani attack by SLORC troops and the Thai starving out of  
the refugees to return across the border). 

The refugee situation is increasing due to forced labor on  
"infrastructure" projects in the area, such as the gas pipeline and the  
110 miles long dead Ye-Tavoy railway construction. Villages regularly  
undergo forced  relocation while harassment, violence and pillaging  
continue under SLORC's reign of terror.  One of the biggest problems for  
the Mon people is receiving outside  information and spreading out inside  
information to international  communities. 

Approximately 50-60% of the Mon people cannot read or write in Burmese,  
and less are able to use English. Thus access to much information is  
prohibitive, especially about health care, social, politics and  
international news. This is in addition to strict censorship controls and  
added ethnic suppression by the Burmese junta.  


The New Mon State Party  (NMSP):  	:Fighting against Burmese  military 
junta  by both arm struggle and political activities;( Recently  reached 
agreement for cease-fire with Burmese military junta (SLORC)

Mon National Relief Committee MNRC (MNRC):	: Working for Mon   refugees in 
the  Thai- Burma border; 
Add; GPO. Box.1983 Bangkok 10501, Thailand.

Committee for Publicity of People Struggle in Monland (CPPSM):  Mon 
non-government organization.
Add; GPO.Box. 227, Bangkok 10501 Thailand

For  more information on the Mon, Please contact    

MIS   (NCM)
GPO Box. 375
Bangkok 10501
Thailand.

<<<<<<<<  END >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>







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