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Mon woman, working in Samut Sakorn, raped by six men

WCRP

A sixteen-year-old Mon woman was raped and left for dead by a gang of six men in Maharchai, Samut Sakorn Province, Southern Thailand, reports her uncle, who recently spoke with a Mon human rights worker on the Thai-Burma border. In the early morning of March 29th, four men grabbed the girl and threw her into a car as she and another woman left a shop after buying food. The four men bound her with rope and beat her until she lost consciousness. They, along with two friends who were waiting outside of town, then raped her and left in the bushes, thinking her to be dead. Read more

Current Draft Constitution Does Not Move to National Reconciliation

THE MON FORUM

In May, the SPDC will hold the “People’s Referendum,” to give approve its draft Constitution, which gives ultimate power to the armed forces. The Burmese Army will absolutely control the State powers – legislative, administrative and judicial.

Even if the Constitution is confirmed by manipulation of the SPDC, and without international monitoring, democracy will not be alive in Burma. Over a thousand of political prisoners will remain in prisons and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be kept under house arrest. Read more

Burma’s Constitutions: Downgrading from Democracy to Dictatorship

THE MON FORUM

A. The 1947 and 1974 Constitutions and Demands for Democracy

Burma has had two national constitutions since independence, known as the 1947 and 1974 Constitutions. Now, a third is scheduled to be voted on in a national referendum, scheduled for May 10th.

The first constitution was drawn up in 1947 in order to obtain freedom from Britain. But before it was drafted, the British colonial government allowed nationwide elections to be held and representatives were chosen for a “Constitution Drafting Assembly.” The elected representatives were chosen by the people and included many non-Burman leaders, who gave favor both to democratic rights and the rights of Burma’s many ethnic minorities. The resulting document guaranteed the rights of non-Burman ethnic nationalities and provided for a multi-party democratic political system. Read more

Cease-fire groups required to provide security for the referendum

Ethnic cease-fire groups have been asked to provide security during the national referendum on a draft constitution, reports a New Mon State Party (NMSP) official.

The cease-fire groups, including representatives of the NMSP, the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and the Karen Peace Front (KPF) were invited to a meeting last week with officers of the SPDC Referendum Commission in Three Pagoda Pass, on the Thai-Burma border. Read more

The Authorities Pay More Attention to the Monks in Mon State for the Upcoming Referendum

HURFOM

On April the 19th, the secretary of the Village Peace and Development Council (VPDC) together with some of his followers traveled to the Hong Sar Htow monastery, located in Kyat Khaing Ye Quarter, Thanbyuzayat Township. When there, they questioned the abbot about the number of monks who live in the monastery, as well as requesting detailed biographies of each inhabitant. Read more

Pro – government Group is Organizing Villagers in Mon State to vote ‘YES’

HURFOM

On the 18th of April, the Referendum Commission of Mon State appointed government staff who are retired, including teachers and professors, to observe and organize the people during the upcoming referendum. Read more

Enamel Paint Campaign Begins

HURFOM : On the 15^th of April, 2008, the second day of the water festival, local villagers from Mon State reported seeing graffiti painted on roads in opposition to the government’s constitution. Using red enamel paint, the graffiti artist had written words in the main road and at other junctions of smaller roads in Moulmein, Thanbyuzayat and Kyait-Kha-Mi Townships.

Read more

Referendum Update

From the 12^th of April until now, the Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) Number 31, based in Kaw–Zar village, together with local military forces have issued orders to village headmen from Kaw-Zar and surrounding villages to visit all eligible villagers and insist they vote ‘Yes’ in the upcoming May referendum. Read more

Hungry and Weak; Burmese Migrants Deported

Lawi Weng, HURFOM :

More than one hundred Burmese migrants arrested in Sanghklaburi, Thailand yesterday have been deported to the Thai-Burma border at Three Pagodas Pass this morning according to an eyewitness who visited the Sanghklaburi jail. Read more

Referendum; Crisis Continues?

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