UNESC
urge Mons to be member of UNPII
Mon ethnics have been
urged to become members of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous
Issues (UNPFII). During a demonstration outside the United Nation in New
York on May 8, on the occasion of the 250th Hongsawatoi Fallen Day, the United
Nations (Economic and Social Council) urged Mons to enroll as members UNPFII.
Broddi Siguroarson, of
the Division for Social Policy and Development said at a meeting with three
Mon representatives, that Mons should be
members of UNPFII. After which Mon representatives could place a report
about the situation in Monland at the May 2008 annual meeting.
Some ethnics remain
depressed and do not keep reporting their situation because the UN had not yet
solved their problem. This should not be
so for Mon ethnics, Broddi Siguroarson said.
A representative Nai Rot
Rot said they will discuss the issue of becoming a member of UNPFII in the Mon
community.
The Mon community in America
demonstrated in front of the United Nations and the Burmese embassy in
Washington D.C. United States.
Nai Janoi Marm, Nai Pala,
and Nai Mot Deep also met Aarn Cope (Burma Desk Officer) and W.Keith Luse
(Senior Professional Staff member) committee on Foreign Relations, the United
States Senate.
According to Nai Janoi
Marn, "We were urged to report regularly important happenings in the Mon
community. They also hope to accept more refugees from Malaysia
and Thailand." The
demonstrators sent
the history of Monland including that on 250th
Hongsawatoi Fallen Day and other reports such as 'No Land to Farm' and
'Catwalks to the Barracks' prepared
by HURFOM.
Aarn Cope said, "The
US government is interested to invest in education and civil society. The US
government will help as much as it can to improve the human rights situation
in Burma. An ethnic conference will be held if necessary".
This is the first meeting
with UN officers by the Mon community in United
States since 1993.
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