Dear Readers,

On this 10th anniversary of Kaowao's founding, we would like to announce a renewed commitment to provide news about the Mon people in Burma. The Kaowao Mon news service is committed to increasing awareness and knowledge about the political situation in southern Burma, Thailand, and other Asian nations, which comes from our sources based in the communities in these areas. Many on the outside have learned about the political situation through our Mon sources who have risked their lives in gathering news from these areas.

During the past ten years, Kaowao has passed through clear skies and stormy weather.  Readers may wonder why Kaowao’s voice has been silent these past few years. This is because many of us have been relocated to different countries with our families, others have moved on to study or retrain.

Three Mon activists: Cham Toik, Kun Yekha and Sunthorn Sripanngern of MUL (Mon Unity League), founded Kaowao to provide news to the Mon people who at that time had no access to media resources which provided news about their country. The first issue of Kaowao was released on November 12, 2001, from an Internet café in Bangkok, edited by a Canadian volunteer Ms. Lita Davidson, to a reader base of 200 subscribers.

Kaowao was appreciated by many readers at that time and gained momentum by gathering and sending out more news. The news focused on the discrimination the Mon faced in Asian nations as migrant workers, particularly in Thailand and Malaysia, on armed conflicts, civil society activities, and Mon leaders and their political histories. It also tried to present some background information on the Mon’s cultural history and the Burmese government’s ceasefire agreements with the New Mon State Party.

Kaowao later set up an office in Sangkhlaburi and continued to gather news; then began publishing reports and discussions on human rights, culture, and community initiatives in the Mon communities in Thailand and overseas. In addition to giving a voice to the Mon who are marginalized as an ethnic group both in Burma and Thailand, Kaowao has since evolved to become an organization that has provided work opportunities for young Mon who want to gain work experience.

During these years  ten years, Kaowao has been managed by a group of dedicated individuals at the grassroots level: Cham Toik, Lita Davidson, Kun Yekha, Banya Hongsar, Taing Taw, Layeh Rot (webmaster) Chittun Simon, Emily Dalton, Carson Christiano, Nai Layeh Rot (Gang Yang), Asohn Vi, Nai Thein Aung, Nai Arkar and Azan.

However, limited resources and lack of a consistent management team at the Sangkhlaburi border office have almost grounded the newsgroup. A recent online meeting of volunteers announced that the newsgroup would continue to work at gathering and reporting news to its readers who have been waiting eagerly for news from their homes in Monland.

We would like to take this opportunity to once again express our gratitude to the many supporters of Kaowao, who have been the central force in making our online and radio news a success story over the years. Your financial support has purchased equipment and boosted morale, which has helped the newsgroup to develop a great job on reaching out to the Mon community in Burma and overseas.

At this time, because Kaowao is a grassroots organization, we again wish to appeal for further donations to allow for the continuation of its news service. As always, your donations will make a big difference in supporting Kaowao in its commitment for change and lasting peace in Burma.

Kind Regards,
Editor
Kaowao Newsgroup

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