254 years after losing their sovereignty, Mons around the world have got together to commemorate this very important day for their nation.
This year will mark the 250th anniversary of the fall of the Mon kingdom Honsawatoi. Worldwide, Mon communities are gearing up to celebrate this event on a broader scale, back home in Burma , Thailand and overseas.
The Overseas Mon Coordinating Committee (OMCC) is working hard to motivate fellow Mon organizations to hold ceremonies in their respective locations. Their efforts have included the issuing of a joint statement, publication of a memorial magazine, release of a Mon album, creation of T-shirts, presentation of Mon history to younger generations, and staging of a demonstration.
The OMCC is comprised of community leaders and individuals from Australia, Canada, Europe, the United States , Malaysia and Thailand (specifically Bangkok and the Thai-Burma border). The OMCC has also drafted a letter to Mr. Ban Ki Moon, Secretary General of the United Nations, representing Mon organizations around the world.
In Thailand, Hongsawatoi Memorial Day ceremonies will be held in Mahachai, Sangkhlaburi and Maesot. According to Nai Monjean, an event organizer based in Bangkok , guest speakers will participate in the morning, food will be offered to monks, seminars will be held in the afternoon, and there will be a candlelight dedication closing the day's events.
"The purpose of holding this Memorial Day ceremony is to remember the independent Mon kingdom, to devote merit to a large number of innocent ancestors who have been killed by Burman soldiers, and to strengthen unity among Mon people. Discussions will be part of the agenda to provide community leaders the opportunity to share their experiences and adapt strategies to the unique circumstances of their society's development," said Monjean.
In the United States, the Monland Restoration Council (MRC) will hold demonstrations on May 7 in front of the Burmese Embassy and at the UN Headquarters in New York. They will also meet representatives of the Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues.
"Since we lost our independence to the Burmans in 1757, we have lost not only our sovereignty but our inalienable rights, including the rights to preserve our culture and learn our language, the right to determine our political, social and economic status, and the right to determine our own future," said Nai Pon Nya Mon, Chairman of the MRC.
The Mon kingdom Hongsawatoi was invaded by Burman king Aungzeya in 1757. This led thousands of Mon people to flee cruelty and bloodshed in their motherland and seek refuge in Thailand . Until recently, the fall of Honsawatoi was commemorated only modestly in liberated areas of the New Mon State Party. Now, since thousands of Mon have begun resettling in third countries, overseas Mon are joining in the commemoration of this important historical event. Mon people in the United States were the first to hold a major Hongsawatoi commemoration ceremony, thereby drawing attention to the general Mon public.
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