NMSP: WILL MAINTAIN ARMED STRUGGLE

NMSP: WILL MAINTAIN ARMED STRUGGLE

HEAVY RAINS CAUSE VILLAGERS TO EVACUATE IN KAREN STATE

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58th Anniversary of Mon Resistance Day

NMSP: WILL MAINTAIN ARMED STRUGGLE

(Kaowao, August 18, 2005)

The Mons will never surrender and continue armed struggle even if the
cease-fire group is given pressure by the regime to lay down their
arms.

According to a statement issue on the 58th anniversary of Mon
Resistance Day, NMSP or New Mon State Party declares that it will hold
their arms to fight for a self-determination state in Burma.

The NMSP is committed to initiate a dialogue on the table and if this
demand is rejected the NMSP will choose other means until the Mons
achieve their self-determination state they have lost over 250 years
ago. The statement said that if the SPDC force the cease-fire party to
lay down their arms, the NMSP will choose other options to defend the
Mons.

A veteran Mon politician said the NMSP's this year statement is
stronger than the previous and assumed that the NMSP is trying to give
a clear message to frustrated public since rumors of surrender were
spread in the community.

Sources close to the NMSP reported the NMSP is being pressured by the
junta for continually demands of holding a political dialogue to solve
the political crisis in Burma.

The President of New Mon State Party, General Htaw Mon also issued a
commentary statement on the significance of armed resistance day in
recognition of the struggles for self-determination and a federal union
in Burma. He urges the Mon peoples from Burma, Thailand and overseas
to continue the struggle for freedom together.

The Mon Resistance Day commemorates the beginning of the armed struggle
against the Burmese government in 1948. When the British granted
independence to Burma, Mon political leaders planned to negotiate
peacefully with the Burman AFPFL leaders for their political, cultural,
and nationality rights. When their demands were flatly rejected some
Mon leaders were assassinated and imprisoned, overnight the Mons
transformed from a non-violent movement to an arms struggle against the
Burmans.

The armed resistance movement began in 1948 when a group of young Mon
patriots led by Nai Pan Tha seized arms from the police station at Zar
Tha Pyin village near Moulmein. The Mon has continuously fought
against the central governments for over five decades, but decided in
1995 to sign a cease-fire agreement hoping to resolve political
problems and to end the conflict with the junta.

Mon Resistance Day celebrations are held today in different locations
at NMSP's strong hold areas, Thai Burma border and overseas.

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HEAVY RAINS CAUSE VILLAGERS TO EVACUATE IN KAREN STATE

(Kaowao, August 17, 2005)

Heavy monsoon rains have flooded out hundreds of villages and
transportations routes along the Jine and Zami rivers between Mon and
Karen States.

'Villages and motor roads have been submerged under floodwaters from
the heavy rains and the overflowing river,' said a local Mon woman to
Kaowao reporter yesterday.

"My house is completely under water. About a quarter of village
homes of over 500 are also under water," the elderly woman from
southern Pha Ann Township of Karen State said.

For over two weeks rain has fallen steadily almost everyday leading to
the heavy flooding. A combination of a poor drainage system and the
heavy downpours has forced villagers to evacuate from their homes.

Townships affected are Pha Ann, Kaw Kareik of Karen State and Kyaik
Mayaw in Mon State. Water supplies and roads have also been damaged or
wiped out by the flooding and local people fears the floodwater will
soon affect low lying rice fields if the rains continue to fall like
they have in the past two weeks which have caused flooding in other
parts of South and Southeast Asia, particularly India.

'Heavy rains have also been reported in Kyar Inn Seik Kyi Township in
which many villages are now under water,' said a Mon trader who just
arrived to the Thai Burma border.

The heavy downpours have caused the Zami and Jine Rivers to overflow
its banks, the Zami river flows along the motor route to the border
town of Three Pagodas Pass.

'We travel by boat to get around,' the trader said. 'We see only
water not land, the roads and the whole area is under water.'

Another Mon woman from the area said the flooding is not usual,
transportation is only by motorboat; many families have packed up
everything into motorboats and are moving to higher grounds. 'The
passengers from Three Pagodas Pass border travel to Kyar Inn Seik Kyi
township easily by boat to the higher levels,' the trader said.

After the water recedes, the motor roads, water supplies, and villages
in the area will be heavily damaged from the flooding and there is
concern over the outbreak of flood related diseases which will affect
the vulnerable, the children and the elderly. Waterborne diseases
include dengue fever, diarrhea, and dysentery.

It is not known how the Burmese government will respond to the heavy
flooding in the area and there has been no news on cases of deaths
resulting from the flooding, The monsoon rains arrive in May and last
until October in Burma.

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