The Mon State Government has given 15 million kyats from its state budget to celebrate the Karen New Year in Mon State, said the Mon State Karen Affairs Minister Saw Aung Myat Khaing.
He discussed how to distribute the allowance to 10 Mon State townships with representatives of the Karen New Year Festival Organising Committee at a meeting held at the Karen Students’ Hostel in Mawlamyine Technological University on 4 December.
He said: “Fifteen million kyats will be spent from the [Mon] State Government’s budget to celebrate the Karen New Year. A total of 1.5 million kyats will be given to each township and [the allowance] will be transferred to the committees from each township.”
Though the Karen New Year has been celebrated in all Mon State townships for the last ten years this is the first time that the Mon State government has offered to help fund some of the celebrations.
Members of Karen New Year organising Committees in different townships have welcomed the government’s offer and see it as a sign that they recognise and accept Karen culture.
Saw Maung Hla, a member of the committee that organises Karen New Year celebrations in Attaran River West in Kyaikmaraw Township explained that they would have to split the township’s allowance of 1.5 million kyats with the Attaran River Eastern committee who hold their own New Year celebrations.
He said: “Just the prizes for the Don (dance competition) during the festival are two million kyats. We understand the government, it is good that they are contributing.”
Saw Tun Win, a member of the Thaton Township New Year Festival told KIC News that he was happy that the government were giving 1.5 million kyats towards their new year celebrations as they cost over 10 million kyats each year.
This year the Thaton Township Karen New Year celebrations will be held at Hpakan Gone Village in the Sa Khan Gyi Village Group.
This year the central government has provided an allowance to each state and region to help pay for Karen New Year celebrations. The money it has donated includes 35 million kyats to the Irrawaddy Region and 15 million kyats to Mon State, it also plans to donate 35 million kyats to the Rangoon Region.
Reporting by Saw Tun Linn for KIC News
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI
