REAKSMEI KAMPUCHEA (CAMBODIA): TWO BURMESE MON "RESISTANCE" LEADERS DETAINED

January 17th, 2000

 

Two activists of the independence movement from Burma crossed into

Cambodian territory through the Fifth Military Region and were sent to

the security and criminal office of the military police headquarters of

Battambang Province at 1800 [local time] on 12th January.

Col Pao Vannak, the provincial military police commander, ordered his

men to take the two resistance movement leaders to the Defence

Ministry's research department the same night.

 

Lt Kaeut Sophal, head of the military police's provincial security and

criminal office, told 'Reaksmei Kampuchea' that one of the leaders of

the resistance movement for independence, based on the Thai-Burmese

border, is Mawn San, a 40-year-old man of Mon [a major ethnic group in

Burma] descent; he is the leader of the resistance movement. The other

is Kau Soek Nuonchhay, a man of Mon descent; he speaks Thai.

The two told the Fifth Military Region commander that they crossed into

Cambodian territory through Thailand, accompanied by Thai soldiers. They

said they came to Cambodia with the aim of requesting political and

military assistance from the Royal Government of Cambodia, reasoning

that they are from the Khmer-Mon stock sharing the same blood, had been

oppressed, and that 29 of their provinces in Burma had been annexed. In

their opinion, they think the Cambodian government has sentiments on the

basis of which they can establish relations.

 

The resistance movement leaders also said their movement currently has

over 10,000 people who have volunteered to fight for liberation from

Burma with over 500 weapons.

 

Reasoning that this is beyond his authority because this is an

inter-governmental matter, Col Pao Vannak said he decided to send the

two resistance leaders to the research department of His Excellency Mol

Roeup at the Defence Ministry that night without waiting until the next

day.