MILITARY BANS MON NATIONAL SCHOOL IN YE

(By Kao Wao: April 27, 2004)

SPDC local commander ordered Mon National Schools to stop teaching the Mon language so that schools can be maintained under strict government control in southern Ye, Mon State. 

The Burma Army commander Colonel Myo Winn warned Mon teachers at Kao Jaer village that they must immediately change the curriculum and stop teaching Mon otherwise the schools will be shut down. 

“The Mon National schools must be under government control.  You must teach the Burmese language and hoist the Burmese national flag; if not, following this instruction, the schools will be closed down,” Colonel Myo Winn who led the military offensive against Mon armed forces in southern Ye township, Mon State said during a forced meeting held last month on March 19, 2004.

According to the source from the New Mon State Party, the commander also gave similar threats to the Mon teachers in Kwan TaMoi TaoTak village, on January 29, 2004 at the forced meeting. 

During the offensive to wipe out the Mon armed group, Hongsarwatoi Restoration Party which started in December 2003, the Burma Army has also launched a new war on education and culture, said Nai Chan Mon, a teacher from Ye.

An officer from the Mon National Education Office said that education officials were warned on March 8, 2004 not to travel to the area without permission from the SPDC army commander. 

“We must talk about this issue seriously in our next Central Committee meeting in early May,” said NMSP’s Secretary General Nai Hongsar in an interview with Kao Wao Newsgroup. 

The Mon national schools in this area were administered by the NMSP for several years.  The Mon education system was well established and about 1,000 teachers were operating from Elementary to High Schools in the rural areas. 

In the past, the military junta normally threatens teachers whenever they want to give pressure to the Mon national movement.  Many teachers have been arrested, tortured, forced to resign, and physically or sexually harassed by the authorities, accused of being involved in politics or supporting the anti-government groups.