By NAI MARN – Moulmein—-The Mon Literature and Culture Committee (MLCC), which works as an umbrella organization for various civil society committees in Mon State, Karen State, and Tenasserim Division, held a meeting in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State, to discuss proposing legal registration of the MLCC to the new government.
About 160 members of different committees from Mon State, Karen State and Tenasserim Division attended the meeting at Mon Dhamma Hall in Moulmein on May 15th.
Mi Moe Moe, the fourth secretary of the MLCC, said, “We are waiting for permission from the new government to apply for registration.”
No Mon civil organizations, apart from the branch of MLCC based in Rangoon, have been registered officially with the government.
Without legal permits, the MLCC committees from other townships have faced difficulties, such as problems publishing their calendar, running certain activities, and publishing articles in journals.
These unauthorized committees have had to ask for help and use the permit of the MLCC based in Rangoon.
“They [the Burmese authorities] can make trouble for us at any time as we do not have a legal one [permit]. This is why we want our committee to be legal,” said Moe Moe.
“After we have official registration, we can run safely and effectively work for our communities,” said the chairman of the Mon Musical Committee, Ja Toi Nai.
The joint MLCC was formed in 2008-2009. The chairman of the committee is Dr. Min Kyi Win, and the joint-chairman is Dr. Min Soe Lin who were the former political prisoners in Burma.
The MLCC includes the Mon Language and Buddhism Teaching Committee, Mon University Student Committee, Mon Heritage and Culture Committee, Young Mon Monks Committee, Mon Youth Committee, Mon Theatrical Association and Mon Musical Association, all based in different townships.
Mon community leaders have stated eagerness for the new government to get underway, as well as hoping that the new government will allow some space for freedom to have civil organizations in the country.
Thus far, many community leaders have commented on seeing no change in their community since the government was instated on April 1st.
