Keith Luse, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee senior professional staff member, Cathy Gallmeyer, the director of Sen. Richard Lugar’s Northeast Indiana Office,  and Mr. Fred Gilbert, a social worker met with Monland Restoration Council (MRC)  on September 6, 2008  at Mon Buddhist Temple , Fort Wayne where the largest Mon people live in the United States .

At the meeting, MRC updated situations of Mon people in Monland and overseas as well as introduced them Mon history, culture and beliefs.  While Nai Thet Lwin, Chairman of MRC ( Fort Wayne ) briefed the history of Mon people,  Nai Michael Mon  briefed  history of MRC and its activities. Nai  Kun Yekha presented about human trafficking in Burma , Thailand , Malaysia and Singapore  and human rights abuses, land confiscation, rapes and ethnic cleansing policy of SPDC in Monland, especially in Southern Ye Township.  Nai Kun Yekha also briefed the NMSP-SPDC cease-fire situations in Burma , the situations of Mon refugees in Thailand and Malaysia .  Mr. Luse was shocked to hear about human rights violations in Southern Ye.  

  Mr. Luse was also aware about human trafficking in Malaysia .  During his recent trip to Malaysia , he learned how gangsters, brokers, Thai police and Malay immigration connected each other. He said he had discussed the issues with Malay authorities.

  Mr. Luse also briefed on legislation that bans import of jade, rubies and other gems from Burma . The legislature also required the President to send a special envoy to Burma and its neighboring countries in order to put  pressure on the Burmese  military Junta to step up democratic process in Burma .  

Sen. Lugar believes that pressure on Burmese military regime should not only come from the U.S. and UN, but also from ASEAN, China , and India .  Sen. Lugar hopes that  President Bush will appoint a special envoy to Burma before he leaves the office, “thereby setting a foundation to continue and expand efforts in Burma ,” said Luse.

Rev. Ravika, Secretary General of Mon Sangha Organization of USA  met a separate meeting with Mr. Luse on  September 7, 2008  in Sen. Richard Lugar’s northeast Indiana office. Rev. Ravika extensively discussed with Mr. Luse about material support issues which U.S. law ban refugees who have supported armed groups.  He requested to wave on Mon refugees who fall into that category.

Finally, MRC urges Luse  to put more pressure on Burmese military regime in order the regime to  initiate tripartite dialogue with opposition parties and ethnic groups in Burma and to help more Mon refugees from Malaysia and Thailand to come and resettle in the US .

The purpose of the meeting was to update Mon people situations both in Monland and overseas and to express MRC’s opinion on U.S. foreign policy toward Burma .  The meeting was lasted about two hours.