Mon State PDC Bars the Mon Literacy Training in Moulmein


June, 2000

    On May, 9, 2000, while the members of Mon Literacy and Culture Committee
(MLCC) Moulmein, is operating the Mon literacy training in 11 city wards of
Moulmein, the capital of Mon State, for Mon children, the Mon State PDC (Mon
State Peace and Development Council) authorities ordered the activists to
stop teaching of Mon literature and forced them to sign a promising document
that they would not continue operating of literacy training. One responsible
person from MLCC (Moulmein) was forced to sign the promising document in
front of General-Secretary of Mon State PDC, Co. Aung Maw Maw and all
activities of operating of Mon literacy training was halted by the
authorities. The authorities and Unit No. 5 of DDSI (Directorate of Defense
Services Intelligence) also threatened to the activists and students that if
someone did not stop teaching of Mon literature, he/she must imprisoned.

    Since April 24, 2000, the activists of MLCC have been active in operating
Mon literacy training in 11 wards in Moulmein city. About 500 Mon students
and more have gradually joined the literacy training and the student numbers
have grown in every section class. MLCC also provides about 15 Mon teachers
including some monks and the bases of the training are also in monasteries.
The 11 city wards where MLCC conducted the literacy training are: San-gyi,
Daung-zayat, Thiri-myaing, Say-gyo, Myaingthaya, Sayay-gyi-gone, Thei-gone,
Pago-chaung, Shwe-myaing-thiri (1) and (2). In each city ward, there are
about 20-80 students attended the classes and many Mon parents send their
children to these classes to learn how to read and write Mon literature.

    Actually, this training is arranged by MLCC (Moulmein) to operate only
for one month period, from the last week of April to the last week of May,
during the holiday of the government school. The operation of the literacy
training has not posed any competition to government education and school. 
With objectives to maintain the Mon identity, MLCC and the Mon parents in
city has tried to arrange such literacy training. In every previous year,
MLCC (Moulmein) conducted this type of training and the authorities didn't
take action against them. Thus, when they started the training, they did not
ask any permission and expected the authorities would allow it like every
previous year. However, in the previous years, the numbers of students who
joined the classes were not much like this year.  This year, the student
numbers have grown and that was a reason why the authorities stopped the
arrangement of Mon literacy training.

    The arrangement of literacy training is late, if compared with activities
in other Mon villages and towns in Mon State. Other villages and towns in Mon
State started the training soon after the closing of the government schools
and the arrival of dry season holiday. The training started in March and
ended in the last week of April. Mudon Township MLCC also arranged the huge
closing ceremony of Mon literacy training on April 24, 2000. Similarly, the
villages and town wards that have operated the Mon literacy training hold
closing ceremony in the last week of April. Only MLCC (Moulmein) could
arrange training due to difficulties in organizing of the city of Mon people
to support the training. Normally, some city Mon people forget their identity
and have not given much support or show their interest to training. However,
the MLCC (Moulmein) could arrange the training in late April after their hard
attempt.

    In the villages and towns where the     SPDC authorities have less
influence on where the local Mon people has strong communities, although the
authorities tried to close down the training, however they could not.  Like
in Moulmein, even the capital of Mon State, the Mon communities are weak and
some Mon people are working as government servants and they have less
cooperation each other and this condition is quite vulnerable from the
actions of Mon State PDC authorities to stop the Mon literacy training.


The Mon Forum Newsletter
Issue No. 6/2000