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Buddhist
Peace Fellowship Statement in Support of Monks’ Protest
in Burma
September
20, 2007
For the
last week, thousands of Burmese monks have marched against the
repressive Burmese military regime in cities across that nation.
This is the largest public demonstration against the junta in
nearly 20 years. As the Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks
march, chant, and overturn their almsbowls (patam nikkujjana kamma),
refusing to accept donations from members of the military regime,
the Buddhist Peace Fellowship offers our full support and solidarity.
Burma
has lived under direct social and political repression for nearly
20 years, since the democracy uprisings of 1988. The army’s
answer to the people’s yearning for freedom in 1988 was
the killing of thousands of demonstrators. This repression has
in no way abated over the years, bringing with it ethnic cleansing
of minority groups, corruption, forced labor, and widespread poverty.
On
Tuesday, September 18, 2007, monks demonstrated in cities across
Burma. In Sittwe, west of Rangoon, they faced tear gas and gunfire
before dispersing. According to reports from exile groups in Thailand,
some monks were beaten and arrested. On Wednesday, September 19,
more than a 1000 monks in Rangoon marched and briefly occupied
the Sule Pagoda in the center of the city, after being barred
from the famous Shwedagon Pagoda.
Day
by day, we closely follow this news from Burma. These non-violent
demonstrations by Buddhist monks are expressions of compassion
at a time when the already impoverished nation is staggering under
August’s government mandated price hikes. Burma's monks
have historically used techniques on non-violence against oppression.
They initiated civil disobedience against British colonialists.
They were visible and central in the movement of 1988. In 1990,
the sangha declared patam nikkujjana kamma and the government
crackdown saw more than 130 monasteries raided, and at least 300
monks forcibly disrobed, arrested, imprisoned, and tortured. As
truly engaged Buddhists, Burma’s monks have earned the trust
and respect of their nation. Today, they are leading the way to
democracy and human rights.
Win
Min, a Thai-based Burmese analyst, said the generals were cautious
about stirring a public backlash if they acted against the clergy.
"It's a dilemma for the junta. If they don't crack down on
protests by monks, more people will join protests. But if they
do, it could trigger massive public outrage against the government,"
he said.
We
call on all our friends in the international Buddhist community
support Burma’s monks as they take a stand for liberation
and the end of military rule in this suffering land. We urge Burma’s
leaders to meet the monks, and all the millions yearning for freedom
with open eyes and ears, and with all weapons set aside. Then
Burma will again find its rightful place as a beacon of freedom
and dhamma in the world.
written by Rev. Hozan Alan Senauke, associate director
and
joined by
Zenju
Earthlyn Manuel, executive director
on
behalf of the Buddhist Peace Fellowship community
Please visit BPF.org
for more information about becoming a member of The Buddhist Peace
Fellowship.
