JOINT-STATEMENT ON 246TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FALLEN DAY
OF MON SOVEREIGN KINGDOM (HONGSAWATOI)


May 23, 2003


Today is the 246th anniversary of the fallen day of our Mon sovereign kingdom, known as Hongsawatoi or Pegu, which covered the whole of today's Lower Burma.  The last Mon independent kingdom was invaded and occupied by the Burman on the 8th waning day of the second month of year 1119 Mon/Burmese lunar calendar (Christian Era 1757).  After the annexation of the kingdom, the Burman king, Alaungpaya, brutally killed tens of thousands of innocent Mon people including many women, children and over 3000 Mon Buddhist monks.  Many of them were burnt in stockade holocausts, similar to destruction of Jews by Nazis. The Burman king also destroyed all Mon manuscripts and stone inscriptions he found.  Hundreds of thousands of the Mon populace fled into Siam (Thailand) to escape the genocidal operation of the blood-thirsty Burman king.  On this
grievous day, we, Mon people around the world, hold the memorial ceremony in
remembrance of our ancestors who were killed by the cruel Burman king, Alaungpaya.

Among the present inhabitants of Burma, the Mon are the oldest. The Mon people arrived in Burma as early as 2500 B.C. The Mon had established their own kingdoms and enjoyed freedom and prosperity for many centuries. Since the fall of their last kingdom (Hongsawatoi or Pegu) in 1757, the Mon people have become "a people without a country".  Therefore, restoration of our lost Mon homeland is the highest and ultimate political goal of the present-day Mon people.

The present Burmese military junta, known as State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC), has continued to oppress the people of Burma.
The ethnic non-Burman have been denied rights of self-determination under
Burman ethnocentric and racist military dictatorship, SPDC.  

Therefore, we strongly demand the ruling Burmese military regime, SPDC:

1) To immediately stop all human rights violations in Burma;

2) To immediately stop land confiscation and withdraw Burmese military operation in the Mon areas;

3) To allow the practice of Mon literacy, traditional and cultural activities;

4) To release immediately and unconditionally all political prisoners,
including our Mon leaders (namely Nai Ngwe Thein, Dr. Min Soe Lin and Dr. Kyi Win);

5) To start a genuine tripartite dialogue between the SPDC, the National
League for Democracy (NLD), and leaders of the ethnic non-Burman nationalities;

6) To recognize the Mon as a nation.

Central Committees

1. Monland Restoration Council (USA)

2. Mon Cultural Society (Canada)

3. Overseas Mon Organization (Denmark)