NEWS FROM INDEPENDENT MON NEWS AGENCY (IMNA)
WEEKLY UPDATE


- BRIEF REPORT OF THE NEGOTIATION COMMISSION
- A MEETING FOR PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO THE MON ARMED
GROUPS HELD


A meeting between representatives of Mon Buddhist
monks and members of Negotiation Commission has been
held on Tuesday, March 19 in a place on the border
area near Three Pagoda Pass, Thai-Burma border. The
participants seriously discussed to find a peaceful
solution between Mon armed groups on the border areas
along Ye and Thanphyuzayat districts in Burma.

Monks representatives presented an open letter of the
Mon Monk Association to the Negotiation Commission in
pursue of supporting the peace agenda as well as good
wills of the participants.

Some members of the Negotiation Commission and
Buddhist monks would approach to meet both side
leaders and they claimed that they have confidence to
deal with this tension if both side leaders give
mature understanding to the issues.

Buddhist monks, members of Negotiation Commission and
a few advisors extremely work hard to find a peaceful
solution in the armed conflicts.

The commission warmly thanks to many individual and
organizations those who send open letter to the person
of concerns.

March 23, 2002
Negotiation Commission (MUL)



MON MEDIA TRAINING; COMPLETED

March 22, 2002
IMNA


A short course for Mon Media Training has been
conducted in Sangkhlaburi small town under a
sponsorship of Burmese Relief Centre (BRC). The
course in conducted by Human Rights Foundation of
Monland with a support of Independent Mon News Agency
(IMNA) based in the border town.

Banya Hongsar, former editor of Bop Htaw and a
freelance Mon Journalist facilitated the class with 16
young Mon from Mon Territory including a Buddhist monk
and two females. Trainees are from various Mon State
with different age group who have motivation on media.


Director of Human Rights Foundation of Monland said in
his opening address "we have to use our eyes, ears,
brain and pen to fights for freedom. We don't use
guns like other people but we use these kinds of guns
for fight".

Trainees have learned basic news writing, interviewing
and writing for radio news during ten days training.
The class has covered more practices than theory but
trainers strongly reinforced on media ethics and other
relevant sources to suit local situation.

Almost all trainees expressed that they have learned
good enough to write news and ready to work for Mon
media after the training. Majority trainees have
experienced for gathering sources on human rights
abuses in Mon State. The Mon Forum widely used
materials from these experienced sources collectors in
the past many years.

Mr Seik layah, a trainee said at the end of the course
'now we know how to do a better job, we are confidence
to write hard news and hot news in the future". Mr
Layah is an experienced man on gathering sources for
the Mon forum in the past many years.

Mr Hongsar is currently studying Diploma of
Communication and Media at Canberra Institute of
Technology, Australia and he attended Broadcast
Journalism Training at Oung Myint Tun' class in 1996.
He also presented news and current affairs at Radio
Monland in Canberra in 2000.

Hongsar said at the end of the training "you have to
work hard to become a reporter or a journalist. There
is not short -cut way to become a good journalist but
you have to pay the price for than". Trainees are now
backed to their place and they start to finish
assignment for writing news and interviewing.

Trainees work for Independent Mon News Agency (IMNA)
that comprises with Guiding Star, Independent Mon
Newspaper, DVB Mon Radio Program, the Mon Forum,
monthly report on human rights issues and weekly news
update for IMNA.




TAX FROM CASINO FOR PAGODA REBUILD
(Chaung-zon Township, Mon State)
In the period from March 9 to April 9, SPDC’s
Chaung-zon township authority gave a contract to an
individual to open casino by giving them tax fund to
rebuild a well know pagoda in town.
A pagoda, “Myo-taw-oo Saydi” situates in center of the
town and Mon State authority ordered to township
authority to rebuild it, but instructed to seek their
own fund.
By allowing casino in town near an navy base, Township
authorities received about 700, 000. 00 Kyat for the
month. They claimed they would use this money for
pagoda repair. But many town residents believe they
would not spend all these money and wound put into
their pockets.
Buddhist monks in town said, ‘this type of dirty money
should not spend for the rebuilding of pagoda,
accordingly to Buddhist teaching’.
“The practice of performing religious affairs to get
money or fund is deepening in minds of all ranks of
authorities and have used this practice for many years
already’ said a elder community member.


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