QUEEN SHIN SAWBU HONOURED BY MON WOMEN

(Kaowao: August 11, 2005) 

Bangkok -- In order to raise awareness on the role of Mon women, portraits of Queen Shin Sawbu were distributed by Mon Unity League in Thailand. 

According to MUL leader from Bangkok, the Mon Women Organization in Mon State promoted a Mon Women's Day by publishing a portrait of a famous Mon queen, Mi Jaobu (Shin Sawbu), the posters are now available by contacting the Mon Unity League in Bangkok. 

Beginning May 2005, on the closing ceremony of Summer Mon Literacy Training Program in Mon State, Burma, the picture of Queen Shin Sawbu along with a brief history in Mon and English were distributed to the students.  The picture was found in the magazine "Arts of Asia, 1992, Vol. 22, No.5, pp.75ff". A terracotta image, thought to be made in the 15th century, with an inscription on it.  Shin Sawbu's original crown is now displayed in the Victoria and Albert Museum in England. 

Shin Sawbu was the only ruling queen in the history of Burma. According to The History of Rangoon, by B.R. Pearn, published in Rangoon 1939, who observed that, "Two claims to fame are hers: one that she ruled the country well, no fair thing to say of Queen Victoria than to call her Shinsawbu reincarnate, and the other: that she embellished the Shwe Dagon Pagoda."

In the previous two years, Mon Women’s Organization of USA and Mon Women’s Organization (Canada) celebrated Mon Women’s Day in March (12th day of 12th Mon lunar calendar) choosing the day to honour the birth date of Mon Queen Shin Sawbu, the only woman to be queen in her own right in the history of Burma. She ruled Hongsawaddy kingdom in the 15th century A.D. During her rule, the glory of the Monland was peaceful and prosperous. 

On Mon Women’s Day, exiled Mon organizations call on the international community to urge the Burmese regime to cease their military operations in the ethnic regions of the country and all forms of human rights violations, especially rape which is being used as a weapon of war against the ethnic nationalities of Burma.