Mon National Day at NMSP

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Subject: Mon National Day at NMSP

	This year NMSP held Mon National Day Celebration in several places, NMSP
HQs, Tavoy, Moulmein and Thaton districts on 12 Feb.1998. Nai Thin Vice
President, Nai Rossa General Secretary, Gen Thaw Mon Chief of Armed Force
of NMSP presented at NMSP HQs.  Nai Shwe Kyin President of NMSP, Gen Ong
Nai Deputy Chief of Armed Force of NMSP presented at the celebration of
Tavoy District.  
	In order to meet the Mon leaders from the cities,  MUL General Secretary
Nai Sunthorn,  MIS Director Nai Phisarn, Mon Youth Community, BKK Nai
Naren, Thai NGOs, Thai TV and newspaper journalists traveled to Tavoy
district and attended the Mon National Day Celebration there.  It is about
3 hour drive from the Thai - Burma border by 4 wheel pick up truck through
rough and mountainous way to a place close to Ye.
	The ceremony on the stage in the early morning of 12 Feb. was shortly
finished after the speech of Nai Shwe Kyin President of NMSP, Nai Ong Shein
Governor of Tavoy District, one representative from the Buddhist monk and
one representative from local Mon community.   Since the transportation is
convenient from both Sangkhlaburi and Ye, the audience at the ceremony was
quite large, but no military parade was presented there.
	After the ceremony Nai Shwe Kyin gave a long interview to Thai TV
and newspaper journalists.  Regarding to gas pipeline project, he said that
natural gas belong to Mon people. He try his best to benefit to the Mon
people.  In terms political situation in Burma, he explained that the SPDC
has developed a lot in upper Burma once it was an arid country which
resulted the Burmans to invade Monland in those days.  By building dams or
reservoirs the people in upper Burma can grow crops two times a year. They
can produce enough food for the country, so sanction from the west doesn't
effect for Burma.  It is the time for us to develop our homeland and our
people.

?????????
Note:  During our stay there we can see and know the real situation by
ourselves from the local people.  In fact, it is very hard  for the
ordinary people to find a job for living, but the money is less valued. 
The wage per day for a man is about 300 kyats at the moment one plate of
fried rice at a food shop in Mon National Day cost 250 kyats.  How  the
people in Burma survived.
   
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MESSAGE FROM UNPO

	On the occasion of the 51st Anniversary of Mon National Day
                                      on 12 February 1998

The Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization (UNPO) presents its
compliments to the Mon people, on the occasion of the Mon National Day.

On behalf of UNPO's Members, who jointly represent over one million
people worldwide, I would like to convey our congratulation and a message
of prayer and solidarity on this special day.

The Member Nations and Peoples of UNPO, each in their own ways, strive
and struggle for peace, freedom and for an end to oppression. Together, we
strive to restore peace and mutual respect for all people, large and small.
For, without respect for each other and without taking individual 
responsibility for our common fate, change cannot occur.

The 51st celebration of the founding of your Nation is a time to 
commemorate the history of the Mon people, to urge the international
community to support your struggle, and most of all to call for unity among
the Mon people and reconciliation among all peoples living in the Union of
Burma.

In this spirit, we send you our wishes, our prayers and our solidarity, in
words but also in our thoughts.


Signature
Tsering Y. Jampa
Acting Secretary General