Mon National Day Billboard Censored

By LAWI WENG

Burmese authorities have ordered that the Burmese language text be removed from billboards in Mon State commemorating the 63rd anniversary of Mon National Day, according to Mon sources.

A senior member of the Mon National Day Committee (MNDC) in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State, told The Irrawaddy on Thursday, “We have been told by the authorities to erase the [Burmese] text because it could cause national unity. They told us the order came from the southeast military command in Moulmein.”

The billboards included the same text in both the Mon and Burmese languages. The Burmese text that the authorities ordered removed read: “In Southeast Asia [the area] from Thaton to the Malay peninsula was [originally] included in Suwanabumi [old Mon kingdom]. After the kingdom was occupied, heritage sites were lost. But pagodas still stand in Thaton Township in Mon State.”

MNDC sources said the authorities informed them on Dec. 29 that they could only use the Mon language on the billboards.

“If we write only in Mon, there are only a few people who can understand it,” said the Mon source. “This is why we used two languages, so everyone could read the message.”

There are more than 2 million Mon in Burma, he said, but many Mon can't read the Mon language.

He said the authorities also censored the statement on the billboards and a leaflet about the anniversary of Mon National Day.

The Mon fought alongside the Burmese in the struggle for independence from British colonial rule, but they have never achieved autonomy under the Burmese military government.

The authorities have long discouraged overt displays of Mon nationalism, because they are afraid it will encourage anti-regime sentiments.

The Mon have celebrated their national day for 63 years despite attempts by the military government to eliminate it. The regime changed the name of the Mon National Museum to “National Museum” and replaced the Mon script.

The Mon will celebrate Mon National Day on Jan. 30 in Moulmein, Mudon, Thanbyuzayat and Ye townships. National Day commemorates the day when the first Mon kingdom, Hongsawadee, was established in 1116 of the Buddhist Era, or 573 CE.