- Web Master
- March 26, 2024
A grand football tournament was organised to commemorate the
14th anniversary of Khamee National Day, which falls on 27 April, at Krathum
Baen of Samut Sakhon in Thailand, said an official from Khamee National Culture
Network.
"The commemorative football is organised for wishing a
bright future to Khamee youth. Currently, our people are dispersed. So it’s
organized with an aim to unite the Khamee young people and foster friendships
among themselves," added the official.
The commemorative football tournament was organised for the
third time at local factory, Soi Phet Kasem 99, where Khamee youths from
various localities participated.
"April 27 is our Khamee National Day. To commemorate this occasion, we arranged the football tournament,” said a Khamee youth from Thailand.
The tournament, organized by Khamee people of Thailand, took
place on a single day (24 March).
20 men's teams and 4 women's teams participated in the
tournament. Various awards like first prize, second prize, top scorer prize,
best goalkeeper prize, best midfielder prize and best defender prize, were
distributed.
"Everyone knows that the situation in Rakhine State is
not peaceful. All our brothers and sisters in Rakhine State should live without
discrimination,” stated the official.
Khamee people, one of the Rakhine ethnic groups, were
previously named differently. Later the Khamee representatives from all
townships unanimously decided at a conference held in Laung Shay Chaung in
Mrauk-U township on 27 & 28 April 1972, to be called by ‘Khamee only.
The day (April 27), when the conference was organised
in 1972 was designated as Khamee National Day and it has been observed
annually since 27 April 2011.
The Khamee people reside in the townships of Ann, Kyauktaw,
Mrauk-U, Ponnagyun, Buthidaung, Pauktaw and Rathedaung of Rakhine State and
they have a cumulative population of over 80,000.