Mon historian monk rebukes professor for using the word Talaing in relation to Mons

IMNA
February 16, 2006

Mon historian monk, Ajar Ven Parlita who has been nominated for the State Award --Sariya of Burma Sanga by the military regime has protested against a paper by a Burmese professor from Moulmein University titled “The Study on Selected Historical and legendary sources relevant to Kyaikhtiyo Region”.

Ajar Palita sent a letter to Daw Khin Saw Nwe, the associate professor of the Department History and the author of the paper on January 5 drawing attention to the repeated use of the word “Talaing” in her paper.

Ajar Parlita said that by using the word “Talaing” repeatedly she was destroying the unity among the ethnic people in the country.

Daw Khin Saw New's paper, which was presented to students in Moulmein University in Seminar 2004, says on page four that Talaing is an obscene word which the Burmese King Aloung Phayar used to utter to Mon people while making a comparison with a bad thing.

She said Mon people in Kyaitkhami district are hurt at the comparison of Mon with Talaing, which is comparing it to something bad. It also means Mon people in Thaton district, Pegu and upper Burma are not hurt at being compared with Talaing.

Ajar Parlita pointed out that every Mon who knew the meaning of Talaing is hurt when compared to Taliang as a nationality which means of bad nationality.

Ajar Parlita said, that Daw Khin Saw Nwe should apologize to the spirit of “Mahar Htay Ashin Araharn” who brought Buddhism to Burma because she called him Talaing monk. He said, although she knew Talaing is bad thing, she was likely bent on fouling the Mahar Htay Ashin Araharn because she called him Talaing monk in her paper.

He pointed out that the paper has many mistakes. The paper was published in January 7, 2005. The paper is going to be used as a lecture book to be taught in Moulmein University , according to source close to professor in the university.