Background

MNDF to MRO

Partnering with Local Communities

Thereafter, Mon National Day, a group led by Nai Paing Non held a meeting and thought about what could be done to help more Mon people who came to Malaysia. On Thursday, March 20, 2003, Nai Tun Wai, Nai Pang Non, Nai Khit Raman, Nai Kun Janah, Nai Mon Tun Maung, Nai Apa Chan, Nai Kha, and Nai Hong Chan (also known as Nai Yin) held a private meeting to talk about starting a group or organization. They agreed to work on the Mon National Democratic Federation (MNDF) from that day on. The committee chose six members after that. Nai Tun Wai as a board member, Nai Paing Non as a Chairperson, Nai Khit Raman as a Vice-Chairperson, Nai Kun Janah as a general secretary, Nai Mon Tun Maung as a vice-general secretary, Nai Apa Chan as a finance officer, Nai Hong Chan (aka) Nai Yin as an advocate on UNCHR parts. At that time, as UNHCR needed a translator/interpreter for Mon people, Nai Khit Raman took the role as a part-timer at UNHCR. Later on as the group grows, in order to partner up with local NGOs easier, the committee decided to change the name from MNDF to Mon Refugee Organization Kuala Lumpur (MRO) on 26, April 2005.

The Mon National Democratic Federation (MNDF) was the first organization that the Mon Refugee Organization came to. It was the backbone of the organization. The Mon Kingdom fell 200 years ago, and since then, the Mon people in Myanmar have been treated badly and discriminated against. The Mon people have lost their rights every year and in every time period. The junta is making them leave their land and their homes. There are two main reasons why every Mon person who left their country did so. The first reason is that they are afraid of being persecuted by the junta, and the second reason is that they want to meet their family's needs. In 2000, Nai Paing Non and Kaw Kamaing (Bilu Kyun) planned and held the 53rd Mon National Day in honor of Mon National Day. Even though there weren't any official committees, the nationday was a success because everyone was in a patriotic mood.

The Mon Refugee Organization (MRO) was started on April 26, 2005, with the goal of helping refugees who are victims and are being held in detention centers and camps and are suffering from serious health problems. It also aims to build goodwill and friendship among community members. To keep working on community development so that we can keep talking and working with other communities on important, controversial, new, and critical issues in our community and take care of and pay attention to our Monks, especially those who come to Malaysia as tourists or refugees. To help our members grow as people and as organizations by giving them useful information, chances to meet new people, and educational materials that will help them work toward making changes in society, the economy, and politics. To grow our network and connect with people and groups that share MRO's values and mission of promoting goodwill and friendship among community members, which has been in place since April 26, 2005. Our main goal is to help people in our community who need it, especially refugees who are having a hard time and living in camps while dealing with serious health problems.

We want to help communities grow by encouraging meaningful and open conversations with other communities about important and new issues that affect all of us. MRO works hard to make sure that monks who come to Malaysia, whether as refugees or guests, feel welcome and supported.

We also want to give our members the tools they need to make changes in their social, economic, and political lives. We do this by giving them information, networking opportunities, and other important resources. We want to reach out to more people and groups who share MRO's values of social justice and equal opportunity. This will help make the community a more welcoming and inclusive place for everyone.

We also want to boost the spirits and knowledge of our kids and teens so that they grow up to be strong leaders. We do this by giving them the skills and knowledge they need to deal with today's problems in a smart way. Please help us change things for the better and make our community's future brighter. Reaching out to more and more people in our Mon community through targeted and ongoing efforts can help us achieve equal opportunity and social justice. To help kids and teens become more moral and knowledgeable so they can stand up to their peers.

Mon National Democratic Federation (MNDF)

To make a lasting impact, we know that we must actively engage and include the communities we are seeking to help. We are continually learning and growing in how we show up as an authentic, ethical partner.

Our team

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”

– Mark Van Doren