Overseas Mon Urge International Community to Intervene Under 'Responsibility to Protect' Principle
Asohn Vi / Kaowao
May 21, 2008
The inhumane act of the Burmese military regime after the Cyclone Nargis disaster is a proper case for coercive intervention under the ‘Responsibility to Protect’, or ‘R2P’, principle, according to overseas Mon organizations around the world.  In a joint statement released on the 14th of May they urged the international community to take coercive intervention under the principle, strongly suggesting it should be applied as a matter of urgency in order to save hundreds of thousands of lives in Burma.

The R2P principle was unanimously endorsed by 50 heads of state at the 2005 Un World Summit and states that where there are overwhelming natural or environmental catastrophes, and the state concerned is either unwilling or unable to cope, or call for assistance, and significant loss of life is occurring or threatened, the use of coercive intervention and the application of military force can be justified.

Board members of the Buddhist Society of the Australian Capital Territory and the Australia Mon Association jointly organized prayer services and a fundraising evening on May the 18th for the victims of Cyclone Nargis.  Nargis ripped through Burma on May 2nd and 3rd, killing over one hundred thousand people and leaving tens of millions of people homeless.

A prayer service for Cyclone Nargis victims organized by the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and Mon social groups along the Thai-Burma border was also held last week  in Sanghklaburi, Thailand.  Monies raised were donated to Mon monks during the morning service, so as to ensure they will reach victims left homeless and also go towards the relief effort.

Nai Hong Sar, secretary of the NMSP, told attendees at the Sanghklaburi prayer service, “We appreciate the international community helping our country and we now urge the Burmese junta to allow aid workers to enter before diseases follow, and also to help with rebuilding schools and other reconstructions. We also recommend the junta allow our free help in the worst-affected regions.”

More than 80 people from the Sanghklaburi community attended the ceremony and watched images and videos from the Irrawaddy Delta, Rangoon, Bago, Karen and Mon state.  Over 50 copies of the documentary videos were shared with participants.

According to the NMSP, two schools and over 100 households from the Southern Ye of Mon state were destroyed by the Cyclone and they are trying to rebuild the schools.
Copyright © 2004 - 2008 Kaowao Newsgroup www.kaowao.org