SPDC ban on teaching ethnic language
- From: "MRC-USA" <mrcorg@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 22 Jun 2006 21:13:13 -0700
SPDC ban on teaching ethnic language
Chan Mon & Mi Kyae Goe (IMNA)
June 22, 2006
Ethnic cleansing and policing knows no boundary in military ruled
Burma. It encroaches everywhere, including education. One of the latest
instances of imposition of the junta's will, comes in Karen State
where the State Peace and Development Council has ordered teaching of
the Burmese Language instead of the ethnic language to the brighter
students in schools.
The order was despatched to the District Peace and Development Council,
Township Peace and Development Council and other departments in total
secrecy.
The order entails following 21 points and teaching the Burmese language
is clause number 18. It was decided in the second quarterly meeting in
2005. But the order arrived in Kawkareik Distrit, Karen State on May
31, 2006.
"The decision is in keeping with the junta's systematic policy of
ethnic cleansing. We cannot accept this decision," Nai Sunthorn, the
secretary of the Mon Unity League said.
Ethnic children will be brighter if they start with their mother
language when young, Nai Sunthorn said referring to the United Nations
Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization UNESCO research.
According to him ethnic children would be brighter if they change to
other languages, a step at a time, after having learnt their mother
tongue.
"If ethnic children are taught another language initially, they will
never be bright," Nai Sunthorn added. Ethnicity would disappear among
minors if they were taught only the Burmese language.
Sometimes Mon national schools have been threatened with closure by
local authorities in some Mon areas. The authorities took photographs
of teachers and students in Mon national schools when the session
began, according to a teacher teaching in Mudon Township.
In southern Ye township some Mon schools were forced to close down by a
military order in 2004. Local military authorities forced a Mon
National School teacher to resign after they demanded that the teacher
sign a paper agreeing to teach Burmese instead of the Mon language.
............................................................................................................................
For further information please contact to imna_news@xxxxxxxxx ,
www.monnews.com, www.monnews-imna.com
Editor: Tel: 66 (0) 9 2072825,
Please visit Burma News International Web-site: www.bnionline.net, in
which IMNA is a member.
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