The group of protesting students began their protest at Sarsana Baikmarn (Satsana Celestial Abode) in Moulmein City, and marched to the University of Mawlamyine. Students were welcomed by MNP members en route to the university, along with welcoming signboards along the highway at Moulmein Zay-jo.
“[The] MNP fully supports the protesting students,” said Nai Soe Myint, joint-secretary 1 of the MNP, “It also supports a democratic education system and the instruction of ethnic native languages. It also supports those students now leading the protest.”
Concerned, however, with the government’s statement that there are political parties behind the students’ protest, Nai Soe Myint stated that, although the MNP wants to help protesting students with direct support, it cannot. But, the party did welcome and support the student protest in Moulmein.
“We encouraged Mon students to participate in this protest, but our party could not participate directly. Now, the government seems to be monitoring the protest,” said Nai Soe Myint.
According to Dr. Aung Naing Oo, Mon State Hluttaw representative, educational organizations, youth organizations, student unions and political parties have previously requested the introduction of a democratic educational system, but such a system was not created. The Union Hluttaw ignored those demands and, as a result, students have begun protesting again.
Participant numbers were low, however, as students’ exams are drawing near, and a number of people did not support or approve of the protest.
“Both the protesting students’ view and other people’s views are right. For the protesting students, if they did not start demanding this now, it will be impossible for them to do so later this year because of the election and constitutional amendment issues, which will make for some confusion. So, they started demanding for an amendment to the national education law now…If we look at the other side, the Union Hluttaw has total power whether or not to fix this law, so it is widely viewed that [the national education law] can be amended in a peaceful way, if the Ministry of Education, Hluttaw, and central government hold a meeting and amend the law. So, I think both sides are right,” said Dr. Aung Naing Oo.
Dr. Aung Naing Oo continued that if the government had amended the law in the beginning, when such changes were requested, there would not be a nationwide student protest now. The issue should be solved in an appropriate manner, and as soon as possible, the Mon State Hluttaw representative said.
Meanwhile, only four monks attended the protest in Moulmein.
“There [were] very few monks [who] participated in the protest. Very few monks from Moulmein, and only three or four monks joined the protest. This can be because exams are coming up for the monks, too,” said protest participant Ashin Zaw Latt, from Chaungzone Township.
On February 9th, students met with the Mon State Students’ Union and the Dawei District Student Union in Moulmein, where the groups marched together to the University of Mawlamyine with demands of an eleven-point amendment to the national education law. The protesting students were not allowed to enter the university campus, and the next day, February 10th, the Dawei District Student Union began their travel to bring their demands to Rangoon.
