Penang Sayadaw appeals Burmese for help to aid Burma after the Storm

Penang Sayadaw appeals Burmese for help to aid Burma after the Storm

Conversation with Sayadaw U Kovida - by Maia Duerr and Hozan Alan Senauke

from Spring 2008 Turning Wheel

Conversation with Sayadaw U Kovida

by Maia Duerr and Hozan Alan Senauke

Sayadaw U Kovida is a highly respected senior monk who was born in Burma 81 years ago. Although he now lives in exile in New York, he was once the patron of Ma Soe Yein monastery, one of the oldest Buddhist schools in Burma.

In 2001, Sayadaw visited the U.S. and stayed at the Sasana Joti Center, a New York monastery. Every year he went back to Burma, but since September 2007, he has not been able to return. Sayadaw is now the patron of Sasana Moli – the International Burmese Monks Organization – founded in October 2007. Sasana Moli (which translates to “crown jewel of the monastic community”) is an alliance of more than 50 monks from the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, Canada, and Malaysia.

On December 15, 2007, BPF staff members Alan Senauke and Maia Duerr had the honor of a private audience with Sayadaw at the Mettananda Vihara in Fremont, California. The day before, Sayadaw was awarded an honorary degree from the University of San Francisco on behalf of all Buddhist monks in Burma. We met on the second floor of the vihara, with several members of the Burmese community joining us. Sayadaw welcomed us with a bow and a warm smile, and sat in a chair near the altar of the Buddha beautifully decorated with food offerings. Maung Yit served as our translator.

Maia: Please tell us about how you got involved in the movement for democracy in Burma in the 1990s, and what happened to you as a consequence.

Sayadaw: In 1988, there was a general uprising in Burma. I was not involved in that. In 1990, the army started shooting at people and shooting at monks. Some young monks came to me and showed me their bloody wounds. This is how I got involved. According to the Vinaya [Buddhist rules for the monastic community], the only way you should get involved in political matters is if the government starts hurting people. That was the first time that we overturned the alms bowls. We did this as a boycott because there were a lot of students who got shot and hurt.

The government tried to imprison me as the instigator of that boycott, and I was sentenced to three years with hard labor, even though they could find no evidence against me. I spent 22 months meditating in a Mandalay prison. In the beginning, I was allowed to wear robes, but then I was asked to take my robes off. But according to the Vinaya, this doesn’t matter because a monk can never be disrobed as long as he keeps the precepts.

The jail was not like the jails here where you have bedding and mattresses. It had a concrete floor, no beds, and iron bars that gusty winds came through. All the restrooms were filthy. In the beginning, I was put in solitary confinement.

Every day we had rice to eat, but it wasn’t really rice. You could see the corn husks in it. And they gave us a curry. It’s lovely when you have curry with cauliflower and cabbage, but for this curry, they spliced and boiled all the stalks so that it was tasteless, and not nutritious. We have a Burmese saying: Wet khaung khar. This means that a pig shakes his head and refuses to eat when he sees what’s coming – that’s how bad the food was. Pigs are known to eat anything, but even pigs would stay away from this food! [Sayadaw laughs while telling us this.]

The worst thing I experienced was having to take off my robes and to adorn layman’s robes. That is the worst thing that can ever happen to a monk. Because I was a high ranking abbot of a monastery, this was the kind of treatment that I received. If I were a young novice or a junior monk, I would have been sent to a prison labor camp to be chained and shackled. The chances of returning from that kind of camp are very low because of malaria.

In those years, the monks were sent to prison camps and starved and died, and the world did not know about it. But this past September, the monks were murdered in front of the media and television. That is much worse than what happened in the 90s.

Alan: What happened after you were released?

Sayadaw: After the 22 months in prison, I went back to the Ma Soe Yein monastery and took up robes again. I returned to teaching.

In 2001, I came on a visitor’s visa to the U.S. In 2002, the Buddhist Friendship Association invited me to do sasana work in the U.S. In 2003, a monastery was founded in New York and so that is where I settled. Every year, I went back to Burma. But since September of 2007, I cannot go there. If I go back, I will land in jail.

M: During September 2007, we heard stories about the monks who refused to receive alms from the soldiers. What was the significance of this action?

S: The monks are following the advice given by Buddha – if someone tries to suppress Buddhism, they should not fight back with arms but rather refuse to accept alms. That is in the Vinaya, so the monks are simply following the rules. It’s not an uprising, but rather following the rules.

You have to have someone who commits a crime to start this boycott. There are some preconditions to overturn the boycott. Whoever has persecuted or hurt the monks has to admit that they have done heinous deeds and ask for forgiveness. Whoever committed the crimes has to say, “We are sorry.” Then, according to ritual, they soak their heads and their clothes. Then they pray together as a whole family and come in front of the monks and say, “Please forgive us for having done bad deeds in the past.”

A: Did the 1990 boycott ever end?

S: In 1991, it was overturned by a group of Sayadaws who were not originally in the boycott. They were asked by the government to overturn the boycott. But technically, that boycott never ended. The government ended it forcibly.

M: You have a long history of standing up for the monks of Burma. What inspires you to keep doing that, at the cost of your own wellbeing and safety?

S: A monk is essentially a dharma son of Buddha. If the government or anybody is oppressing the sasana, then I am just doing what Buddha wants me to do. The boycott says that if somebody doesn’t treat the monks fairly, then you shouldn’t take alms from them. So I am just being a loyal son of Buddha, just following what Buddha taught, nothing special.

M: Do you feel angry at the junta for all the harm they have caused the sasana and the Burmese people? How do you handle anger with your dharma practice?

S: At times I feel angry, just like other human beings. But being a son of Buddha, I follow what Buddha taught, and that means metta [loving kindness]. The reason something is happening is because of our bad karma in past lives. We should try to restrain our dosa [anger] by practicing metta instead. This doesn’t mean we are not angry, but every time there is anger, we try to relinquish it by practicing metta.

At first, I didn’t understand why I had to go to prison, because I thought that I had done good deeds all my life like teaching and building pagodas. Then I realized that because all human beings are born into samsara [rounds of rebirth], in some distant past we might have done something bad and this is just now showing up. So instead of forgetting that and getting angry, we can understand that this is what happened in our karma, and we go on with our lives. That was what helped me during those 22 months in prison. Otherwise I would have been angry and wouldn’t have survived for long.

I taught for more than 50 years. When I learn about my former students who are being murdered and sent to prison camps, I feel much anguish and pain, because they are related to me.

If even people outside Burma, like the BPF members, feel a lot in their hearts, including anger, when they see what is happening in Burma, then you can imagine how the monks in Burma feel who have to directly face this. There is no way there will not be anger. The only thing is how to restrain anger and follow the teachings of Buddha.

M: I was inspired by your commencement talk at the University of San Francisco about the value of education. What role do you think education can play to support a peaceful transition to democracy in Burma?

S: I have always been a firm believer in education. The Buddha said:

If one studies diligently under a mentor, one gains bahusuta (general knowledge)

Bahusuta gives rise to wisdom and learning. Wisdom and learning enable one to reason, to differentiate the good and the bad, the right and the wrong. An educated mind, then, is able to do good things not only for one, but for others as well.

Unless you practice, you won’t see the truth. As Buddhists, we know the importance of education. Burma once had a very good education system. It’s been deliberately destroyed because the less people are educated, the easier they are to control.

The government of Burma seems not to be educated because they started shooting and killing monks. That shows a lack of education and lack of wisdom. Education is needed not just for the transition to democracy, but also for wise judgment in everyday life.

A: How do you see the transition to democracy happening inside Burma?

S: Right now, the monks outside Burma are directly or indirectly helping the needy monks inside Burma, but they are working at a grassroots level and not going through the government.

The monks inside Burma are trying to do what they can, according to the rules of Buddha. The sole purpose of Sasana Moli is to prevent danger to the sasana. We will attain democracy, freedom, and peace, if we follow the Buddha way.

We want the world to know that it’s not us against the government. The only reason that a senior monk who has taught for 50 years is doing what I am doing is because the government has crossed the lines of human rights. Some monks have been shot just because they were not taking alms from the junta or reciting the Metta Sutta. Those kinds of things should be a common right in any human society. All around the world, people want to know why these monks are being murdered when they are just doing things that any decent citizen of any country in the world should be able to do.

The junta says that the monks got support from outside the U.S. That’s not true. They’re trying to find scapegoats. We want to make sure people understand this in a true light.

A: Please tell us about Sasana Moli.

S: I have taught for more than 50 years and was never involved in politics or any organization. But after September, I felt that if I just kept teaching, that will not change the situation in Burma. So for three days, I thought of a good name and finally came up with Sasana Moli, which means crown jewel for the sasana. This way, we can provide help to those not only inside Burma but along the border. At the age of 81, I couldn’t stand it any more and decided that it’s time to get involved and to have a strong organization so that the world will know what’s happening and people can help.

M: What is your vision for Burma in the future?

S: I am convinced that Burma will get democracy very soon and that this boycott will end successfully. The monks inside Burma want to remind us time and again that the boycott is still on. It does not matter that they are having food forced on them. What’s more important is to realize that in their minds the struggle is still on. If they have the courage and vision to continue the fight, with support of the world, then Burma will see the light in the near future.

A: What is the most important thing that Americans and others in the world can do to support the cause of the people of Burma?

S: The short answer is to help in any way that you can. In essence, two kinds of help are needed. First, they need moral and spiritual help. The monks inside are fighting for a cause and they need the courage to survive. And second, they need some kind of physical help, whether it be monetary or anything else.

It’s important to keep the pressure on. Even though I am 81 years old, I travel all over the country and give talks and interviews about this. If all the people in the world offer their help both spiritually and physically, in a few months I feel that Burma will be free from the worst danger.

Ref : - http://www.bpf.org/html/turning_wheel/archive/2008/kovida.html

Sasana Moli - International Burmese Monks Organization in solidarity with Tibat's Monks and People - issued statement

သာသနေမာဠိ အဖၾဲႚခဵႂပ္က တိဗက္ရဟန္းေတာ္မဵားႎႀင့္ ဴပည္သူမဵားႎႀင့္အတူ ရပ္တည္ေဳကာင္း ထုတ္ဴပန္
မတ္ ၁၆၊ ၂၀၀၈

Burma's Most Wanted By LESLIE HOOK

Burma's Most Wanted
By LESLIE HOOK
February 2, 2008; Page A11
Mae Sot, Thailand

'We did not reach final victory. We were defeated in the middle of our struggle," says the young Burmese monk sitting in front of me. "It will be very hard to have another demonstration."

He should know. Ashin Kovida chaired the impromptu committee that organized last year's democracy protests in Rangoon, Burma. The marches, sparked by an economic crisis, brought more than 100,000 people to the streets to demand democracy and the release of political prisoners, including opposition leader and Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. The ensuing crackdown left at least 31 civilians dead, and thousands more beaten or jailed.

The protest leaders -- Mr. Ashin included -- fled for their lives. Exchanging his monks' robes for civilian clothes and a crucifix necklace, Mr. Ashin hid in a shack outside Rangoon for several weeks. After he made it over the border into Mae Sot, Mr. Ashin holed up in a safe house, leaving only to be shuttled to occasional meetings or interviews. Finding a safe venue for our meeting proved a challenge. We agreed I'd wait in my hotel for a phone call from a "friend," who would tell me how to proceed. "There are many different kinds of people at your hotel," Mr. Ashin said. "Maybe not safe."

When our agreed interview time passed, I worried if he'd been snagged by the Burmese spies trawling this town. An hour later, there was a soft knock on my door. When I opened it two men scuttled inside: Mr. Ashin, a skinny 24-year-old in flame-colored robes, and Kyaw Lin, a friend and interpreter. The monk looked horrified when I shook his hand, averting his gaze. It's only afterward that I realized this violated his vows to touch a woman.

Mr. Ashin had no special preparation to become a freedom fighter; if anything, he had a typical, impoverished Burmese childhood. Born in 1983 in a village near Ann, a town in the eastern state of Arakan, he joined a monastery at age 12. His parents were farmers, and they sent him, their second son, to become a monk at the nearest monastery so that he could get an education. He lived there until 2003, then moved to Nan Oo monastery in Rangoon to pursue further monastic studies.

Meanwhile, his country was falling into grave disrepair. Since the junta took power in 1962, the generals have stripped the country for their own personal gain through a combination of brutal oppression, continuing ethnic wars, and a massive standing army of more than 400,000 soldiers. Today it is difficult for most citizens to obtain basic food and clothing. Per capita GDP is around $300, in league with the world's poorest countries.

Political activism in this environment is difficult, at best. But monks in Burma have a tradition of being involved. Their daily alms rounds keep them in touch with citizens' lives, and their vows require them to act for the well-being of their community. In 1988, when students and citizens took to the streets to protest for democracy, the monks marched alongside them. Those demonstrations ended with the massacre of several thousand demonstrators.

But the way he tells it, Mr. Ashin's activism wasn't originally part of a national movement; rather, it evolved from a grass-roots level, organically. After several monks were beaten during a Sept. 5 protest in Pakokku, a city in central Burma, Mr. Ashin and his fellow monks were so outraged that they printed and distributed pamphlets demanding an apology from the government. Mr. Ashin says he spent Sept. 10-13 wandering the streets of Rangoon with a bag full of pamphlets, distributing them to major monasteries.

"We demanded that the government apologize [for what happened in Pakokku]," Mr. Ashin explains. "If there was no apology by Sept. 18, then the monks would take to the streets. On Sept. 18 there was no response. On Sept. 19, my colleagues and I thought we needed an organization to organize the protests and keep them on the right track."

Thus the Sangha (Monks) Representative Committee -- an organization that would soon become the nexus of the demonstrations in Rangoon -- was born. The committee was composed of 15 volunteer monks, aged 24-28, who had met each other during earlier protests in August and September. "Everyone was invited," Mr. Ashin says. "I did not even know the names of the others -- most of them used nicknames for their security."

Mr. Ashin was elected chairman, and the committee agreed to meet every morning at 9 a.m. at the East gate of the Shwedagon Pagoda -- Burma's holiest shrine and the temple from which Aung San Suu Kyi addressed her followers during the protests of 1988. Its purpose?

"The committee was there to control the demonstrations and make sure they were peaceful," he tells me. They wanted "just to help the people, and to show how much people are suffering. The monks did not have any political objectives. We want for people to have a right to fight for power . . . the monks just paved the way for them."

Unlike 1988, the monks had new tools available to help their cause. Cell phones and the Internet played a crucial role in enabling the protests, and in alerting the outside world. All of the recent arrivals I met in Mae Sot, including Mr. Ashin, said they used Gmail chat ("gtalk," they call it) to keep in touch with their friends and family inside Burma. Yahoo! is blocked inside Burma.

To avoid confrontation with the government, the organizing committee asked people not to display any signs or flags other than the "sasana," a Buddhist flag used in religious ceremonies. The committee also had a practical function: to ensure that monks, who gather alms in the morning for food, could forego that duty to walk into the city center and join the marches (some walked for hours to get there). "All classes of people joined together to prepare food," he says, adding that famous Burmese actors and models pitched in, too.

It was a grass-roots political movement from the start. Mr. Ashin says none of his colleagues were members of any political groups. No one on the committee had contact with Ms. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy until the party asked the committee for permission to display its flag, he says.

A few days after the committee formed, representatives from the NLD and some student political groups did ask. And so the yellow phoenix -- a sign of NLD unity during 1988 -- was displayed on the streets of Rangoon once again. The committee also allowed public speeches on Sept. 25.

For the military junta, that was a step too far. That night, the first of a series of brutal midnight raids on monasteries began.

The next morning, only seven of the 15 committee members showed up at their meeting place, Mr. Ashin says. As people came out to march, they found that the military had cordoned off the areas around Shwedagon Pagoda where they usually met. Disjointed groups began to coalesce, and Mr. Ashin said he found himself in the midst of about 300 people surrounded by walls and riot police. The police tried at first to persuade the protesters to let them "take them home" -- which the protesters understood to mean arrest -- and then began forcibly arresting protesters.

Mr. Ashin remembers that as a dark afternoon. He himself received several blows to the stomach before he scaled a wall to safety. "The monks and students started throwing stones at the security forces. There was a violent mood. [People from the committee] tried to convince people to stop and not be violent."

Across the rest of Rangoon similar scenes played out. In some places soldiers opened fire on the demonstrators, and day's end saw dozens dead or wounded.

On Sept. 27, the committee couldn't meet at all. Some people tried to continue the protests, but a massive security presence resulted in further violent clashes. That night, Mr. Ashin took off his robes and went into hiding.

The government didn't forget about him, though. State-run newspapers carried his photograph and labeled him a "fake monk." The junta's English mouthpiece, the New Light of Myanmar, accused him of being responsible for 48 cartridges of TNT found buried near a residence in Rangoon. While he was in hiding in a suburb, police canvassed nearby streets, searching for him.

Contrary to the propaganda the regime conjures up, Mr. Ashin says he was completely unconnected to the Burmese governments-in-exile that has sprung up in Thailand. He left Rangoon without a backup plan, and arrived in Mae Sot with a single phone number of a man he had never met.

Mr. Ashin is clearly devastated by what he perceives as the "failure" and the "defeat" of the protests. But most of his disappointment is directed not at the lackluster efforts of the United Nations -- "people outside seem to forget about Burma," he says -- but at his fellow Burmese.

"If the MPs had been actively involved, then our demonstrations could have changed something," he says. "It is a great loss for our struggle. But they were just watching and waiting." It's also evidence of how well the junta has done its cruel job that the massive street protests did not result in mass defections from the civil service or army, and saw almost no support from politicians in power.

Four months after the demonstrations Burma has largely fallen off of the world's radar screen. The U.S. and the EU were quick to implement tighter economic sanctions on the regime after the protests, but for Burma's major trading partners, it's been business as usual. Neighboring China, Thailand and India were all reluctant to comment on the events inside Burma, and have avoided putting pressure on the regime. The U.N. Security Council issued a statement "strongly deploring" the use of violence.

The situation on the ground in Burma is every bit as dire now as it was in September, and many say it is getting even worse, as fuel and food shortages continue.

Mr. Ashin's group, the Monks' Representative Committee, reorganized in several cities inside Burma earlier this year with 50 new members. They've issued a statement pledging to protest again this month if the government doesn't take action for political reconciliation. But with leaders like Mr. Ashin out of the picture and the junta on the lookout, it's difficult for them even to meet.

Mr. Ashin says he will be relocated to the U.S. soon, where he has been granted political asylum. He wants to continue working to bring change to Burma, but isn't sure how he will do so from a distant shore. Step one will be improving his English, so that he can tell the world what is going on.

Ms. Hook is an editorial page writer for The Wall Street Journal Asia.

Peace Walk & Prayer Service - 60th Anniversary of Burma's Independence

Dear Friend,

The International Burmese Monks Organization (UK), Sasana Ramsi Buddhist Vihara and Pray for Freedom Volunteers would like to invite you to join us for a Peace Walk & Prayer Service to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Burma's Independence.

Please join us if you can...

Although there is very little news from Burma , 50 million Burmese continue to suffer from a lack of human rights and democracy.

Your support is needed for Burma , whether you are an individual or an organisation. Even if you or your friends can not attend the event, please forward this information to increase Burma awareness, and so that the world will not forget the Burmese people.

Thank you so much in anticipation.

U Uttara,
Secretary for the International Burmese Monks Organization ( UK )

Add: Sasana Ramsi Buddhist Vihara

83, Booth Street Colindale

London

NW9 5 JU

Email: uuttara@talk21.com

&

Pray for Freedom Volunteers

Email: prayforfreedom@hotmail.co.uk

Please join us for the

Peace Walk from Marble Arch to Trafalgar Square

&

Prayers Service at Trafalgar Square

On

Saturday, 5th of January 2008

The Prayer Service will be led by

The International Burmese Monks Organization ( UK )

Supported by Pray for Freedom Volunteers

Programme

v Meet at 11:30am at Marble Arch Hard standing (Tube: Central line to Marble Arch then exit 3)

v Begin Peace Walk led by monks at 12:30pm

v Arrive at Trafalgar square at approximately 2pm for the Prayer Service led by Buddhist monks (Nearest tube station Charing Cross )

v Guest speakers will address the participants and close the service at approximately 3pm

Burma: Independence Day

It is now 60 years since Burma gained independence from Britain on the 4^th January 1948. We raised our national flag and our ancestors looked forward to rebuilding the country as an independent nation. 60 years on there is very little to celebrate on this Independence Day when over 50 million people continue to be repressed by the military junta. There have been several major uprisings; 1962, 1974, and 1988, and the most recent peace protest led by monks in September 2007. Each of these uprisings has faced a brutal crackdown by the military government and thousands of people were killed as a result.

For many Burmese people “ Independence” has become meaningless. The dissidents are imprisoned, including our pro-democracy leader and Noble Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi. Monks and student activists have been detained and tortured, ethic minorities have been killed, and tens of thousands of people have fled to neighbouring countries to escape the military's harsh rule and repression. Despite all of the difficulties and poverty, Burmese people are independent, resourceful and determined to create a peaceful, stable and modern nation. Burma has overcome many setbacks, suffering and buffeting by a host of known and unknown enemies which has made the people stronger. Our people have courage, fortitude and an unbending determination for FREEDOM and INDEPENDENCE once more and for real. There is no reason to celebrate Burma 's Independence Day, but there are many reasons to fight for freedom.

The Peace Walk & Prayer Service on the 5th January is intended to raise Burma awareness in order to make the world know that BURMA is still suffering from a lack of freedom and basic human rights. We must not forget that over 50 million Burmese people do not have the freedom to walk along street and speak the TRUTH.

It is our responsibility to show solidarity and to use our freedom to support BURMA .

USF Honors Burmese Buddhist Monks During Commencement

USF Honors Burmese Buddhist Monks During Commencement

	Sayadaw U Kovida (center) accepts an honorary doctorate on behalf of the Buddhist monks of Burma during a Dec. 14 commencement ceremony.

Expressing his heartfelt appreciation in accepting an honorary doctorate on behalf of the Buddhist monks of Burma, Sayadaw U Kovida said the University of San Francisco's Dec. 14 tribute was proof that people care about the suffering of the voiceless at the hands of brutal military regimes around the world.

In September, thousands of Burmese Buddhist monks demonstrated peacefully and nonviolently against their country's repressive military regime, prompting a brutal response from the government. During and after the demonstrations, according to international media, thousands of monks were arrested, and many were beaten and killed.

"This honor gives all of us inside and outside Burma much needed encouragement to carry on with conviction," said Sayadaw U Kovida at the commencement ceremony. He promised to relay to the Burmese monks the message of support from USF, which awarded them collectively with an honorary degree.

Sayadaw U Kovida, a distinguished exiled Burmese monk now living in a New York monastery, was himself imprisoned by the Burmese military dictatorship for his participation in the 1988 pro-democracy demonstrations against the government.

"We honor the monks of Burma to help keep the Burmese struggle for democracy in the minds and hearts of those of us who enjoy the freedoms they are struggling to achieve," said USF President Stephen A. Privett, S.J. before the ceremony "These are extraordinary, modern-day heroes and persons of faith committed to building a better world, even at the risk of arrest, beatings, and death. We celebrate and support their courageous, nonviolent demonstrations, their continuing struggle for a fair and representative government, and the selfless leadership that is giving an entire nation a taste of freedom. These are the kind of people we hope our graduates will be."

The monks exemplify USF's moral commitment to educate minds and hearts to change the world, according to the honorary degree citation. The citation also draws a comparison to the six Jesuits killed in El Salvador (along with their housekeeper and her daughter) 18 years ago for their outspoken criticisms of an equally repressive government.

"As we have honored our Jesuit brothers, this Jesuit university now honors the Burmese monks of Burma for their courage, compassion, and commitment to seeking to protect the human and democratic rights of the Burmese people in the face of a harshly brutal military dictatorship," the citation states. "The Buddhist monks of Burma serve as an inspiring role model for our students, and they embody the ideals that guide our educational efforts. The chant of 'Do-aye' ('It is our task'), a statement of determination heard on audio recordings from Burma during the protests, evokes the passion we hope will catalyze our students to accept their responsibility for righting the world's wrongs."

Sayadaw U Kovida's history of standing up against the military junta and being jailed for doing so made him an ideal representative of the monks being honored.

"I am thrilled and honored to accept this honorary degree on [their] behalf," Sayadaw U Kovida said during the ceremony. He recognized USF for its tradition of honoring those who work for peace and justice, including the Jesuits killed in El Salvador in 1989 and the Dali Lama, who received an honorary doctorate from USF in 2003.

An appeal to the members of international and multi-faith organizations, families and citizens of the world

An appeal to the members of international and

multi-faith organizations, families and citizens of the world

Dated – Dec 17, 2007

Sasana Moli (International Burmese Buddhist Monks Organization), which was formed on October 27, 2007, is making an appeal to the following: leaders of the nations, religious and social organizations, literary lovers and fine artists, experts in science, technology and arts, and families residing in various countries to note the following agenda aimed for the peaceful co-existence of the people and organizations in the world in general, and for peace and the sustenance of Sasana in Burma in particular.

1. Sangha (monks) and the lay people in Burma – living under the repressive military regime – are facing arrests, torture, imprisonment, expulsion from their home and land, forced silence. There is no more peace and prosperity in a land [once known as the “Rice Bowl of Asia”] and facing the three dangers: famine, war, and disease. An appeal is made to the international families to help protect them with their karuna (compassion) and metta (loving kindness).
   

2. We express our heartfelt thanks to the United Nations Organization, the President of the United States of America and his family, the US Government and the members of Congress, the Prime Minister and cabinet ministers of the United Kingdom, leaders of European Union, the governments of Canada and Australia for condemning the inhuman acts of the Burmese military regime and for imposing sanctions. We urge them to continue taking actions that will expedite the peace and tranquility in Burma.
   

3. We also express our heartfelt thanks to the religious leaders such as His Holiness the Pope, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and Desmond Tu Tu for voicing and highlighting the much needed peace in Burma. With their spiritual leadership, the citizens of the world can and will help the peace process in Burma. And at the same time, we are also encouraged when we received the honorary degree from the University of San Francisco on behalf of Burmese monks inside Burma for their courageous sacrifice and peaceful protest for the peace and freedom of Burma and its people.
   

4. We are highly indebted to Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Organization, Reporters without Borders, International Labor Organization (ILO) and numerous other organizations that are concerned with human rights for compiling and publishing the atrocious acts committed by the Burmese military regime. We request them to continue [to let the people all over the world aware of the plight of the Burmese monks and lay people].
   

5. Sangha (monks) and the lay people both inside and outside Burma are risking their possessions and lives simple to uphold the noble teachings of the Buddha and to struggle for the peace and prosperity in Burma. We urge the governments, religious leaders, academic societies and experts in the various fields -- science, technology, arts, fine arts, management - to act as groups and individuals to lend a helping hand to the Burmese monks and people in any way possible. We appreciate their compassion and boundless love for the oppressed Burmese.
   

6. We, the Burmese Buddhist monks, pledge to uphold the dhamma (teachings of the Buddha) and to cooperate with the people of Burma and all families over the world towards achieving lasting peace, human and religious rights in Burma.
   

This statement issued by Sasana Moli will be used as a basis by the members to disseminate the organizations and families of the areas [under their jurisdiction] with the purpose of building “forces working for peace” [in Burma and throughout the world].

Signed - Patron, Masoeyein Sayadaw U Kovida

USF honored Burmese Monks in Burma - VDO Archives

Press Release - Japan Buddhist Community Tour Lead By Venerable Sayadaw U Pannya Vamsa

Press Release
Japan Buddhist Community Tour
Lead By Venerable Sayadaw U Pannya Vamsa
Sasana Moli International Burmese Buddhist Monks Organization

December 7-18, 2007

We hereby issue our appeal and position regarding the on-going repression and crack-down on the people of Myanmar and monastic community by military government.

(1) We strongly condemn and deplore the repression upon Burma’s monks, nuns and laymen who have participated in the peaceful protests, and suffered tragic loss of life and bloodshed in September, 2007, and on-going repression on the monastic community and people by the military regime.

(2) From the creditable reports from Burma, we have learnt that military government imposed very severe travel restrictions to monks, banned public relief efforts and community services such as free schools and educating the children by Buddhist monks. We strongly condemn such mean and destructive repressions which are not conducive for the wellbeing of its own people.

(3) We appeal to military leaders to immediately cease all hostile acts of repression and start genuine political reformation by inclusive dialogue in order to serve the best long-term interest of people of Burma and the national wellbeing.

(4) It is self-evident and undeniable truth that Burma's people have been suffering for such a long time during a succession of abusive military regimes and under the cycle of oppression and mismanagement. No nation in the world had ever achieved, nor can achieve, the desired prosperity and progress under repression or repressive rule. It is in the best interest of the military regime and people to start positive process of mutual love, compassion and a common desire for the progress.

(5) We are in no way interfering in the affairs of Burma’s politics, however, as an act of compassion and goodwill, expressing our heart-felt position and beneficial input for the suffering brothers and sisters of Burma.

Ven Pannya Vamsa
Contact Phone in Japan: (080)3525-7099
:: Japanese, English, Burmese

Symposium Schedule:

12/08/07 Nagoya, Sonenji Main Hall (Atsuda-ku)
12/09/07 Kyoto, Campus Plaza- Kyoto 4F, Hall 3 (Near Kyoto Station)
12/10/07 Osaka, Campus Port Osaka Hall D&E (Near Osaka Station)
12/11/07 Tokyo, Rengo Sohyo Kaikan (Chiyoda-ku) : Scheduled Press Conference
12/12/07 Tokyo, Tsukiji Hongwanji Rehaido (Chuo-ku)
12/13/07 Aichi, Mikawa Anjo City Hotel (Anjo-shi)
12/15/07 Yokohama religious service
12/16/07 Tokyo Public Meetings

University of San Francisco to Honor Buddhist Monks Who Fought for Democracy

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Anne-Marie Devine

415-422-2697

abdevine@usfca.edu

University of San Francisco to Honor Buddhist Monks Who Fought for Democracy

SAN FRANCISCO–December 5, 2007 – The University of San Francisco will honor the Buddhist monks of Burma (Myanmar) for their courage and nonviolent demonstrations against the tyrannical Burmese military earlier this year, by awarding them with an honorary doctorate at commencement ceremonies on Friday, Dec. 14. A representative of the monks, Sayadaw U Kovida, will accept the degree on their behalf and deliver the commencement address. He himself was imprisoned by the military junta after participating in 1988 pro-democracy demonstrations against the Burmese dictatorship.

In September of this year, thousands of Burmese Buddhist monks protested peacefully against their country's repressive military regime, prompting a brutal response from the government. Thousands of monks were beaten and arrested, and many were tortured and killed.

"We honor the monks of Burma to help keep the Burmese struggle for democracy in the minds and hearts of those of us who enjoy the freedoms they are struggling to achieve," said USF President Stephen A. Privett, S.J. "These are extraordinary, modern-day heroes and persons of faith committed to building a better world, even at the risk of arrest, beatings, and death. These are the kind of people we hope our graduates will be."

The monks exemplify USF's moral commitment to educate minds and hearts to change the world. The Jesuit, Catholic University draws a comparison between these monks and the six Jesuit priests killed in El Salvador [with their housekeeper and her daughter] 18 years ago, also for outspoken criticisms of an equally repressive government. USF has previously honored the slain Jesuits of El Salvador; it now honors the monks of Burma for their courage, compassion, and commitment to democracy in the face of a brutal military dictatorship.

Ma Soe Yein Sayadaw U Kovida, a highly respected Buddhist monk living in exile in a New York monastery, will accept the degree on behalf of all the Burmese monks. Originally from Burma, he is a senior monk who has a history of standing against the military junta.

The graduation ceremony will take place at 3:30 p.m. Friday, December 14 at St. Ignatius Catholic Church on the USF campus—located at 650 Parker Ave. (at Fulton Street), San Francisco, 94118.

About The University of San Francisco

Established in 1855, USF is the city’s oldest university and is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the country. The University of San Francisco is committed to being a premier Jesuit, Catholic, urban university with a global perspective that educates leaders who will fashion a more humane and just world. It enrolls approximately 8,500 students.

Testimony of Ven. Ashin Nayaka at The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Public Hearing

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Public Hearing
”After the Saffron Revolution: Religion, Repression, and the U.S. Policy Options for Burma”
Rayburn House Office Building 2200

December 3, 2007, 2:30-4:30 PM

Testimony of Ven. Ashin Nayaka, Leading Member of International Burmese Monks Organization and Visiting Professor at Columbia University
an2201@columbia.edu

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to speak before the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. I am a Burmese Buddhist monk, a visiting professor at Columbia University in New York. I came here to be the voice of my fellow monks and be the voice of the people of Burma, who have long been denied all freedoms, including religious freedom, under one of the most repressive regimes in the world.

People all over the world have witnessed the terrible and wicked system of dictatorship imposed upon us. Through the help of international media, the world was able to see the brutality. The military regime has killed peaceful demonstrators. They have killed monks, who are highly respected by the people, as Buddhism is major religion in Burma. They have emptied monasteries, which are not only places of worship and religious functions, but also for education, maintenance of culture, and caring for HIV/AIDS patients and orphans, duties which the regime has neglected. Burma’s military regime have forcibly disrobed monks, beaten them, and assaulted them very badly.

They have committed crimes against humanity and these recent brutalities will stand as a great tragedy in our long history of monastic Buddhism. This wicked regime committed these atrocities in full view of the world. They are shameless, seeking only to systematically oppress us for decades to come.

We are all deeply concerned about the fate of fellow monks, including U Gambira who led the recent protest in Burma, as well as all political prisoners. I hope that international governments and the United Nations pressure the military regime to immediately grant the ICRC access to these detainees and release them immediately.

What I wish to say is: the spiritual authority of Burma resides in the Dhamma (Teachings of Buddha). The Dhamma in Burma is both protected and practiced primarily in the minds and hearts of the monks and nuns in our country. Of course, the lay people practice Dhamma too. But the symbol of hope in our society is the Sanghas (the order of monastic).

The religious order of monks has been the face of Burma since Buddhism was introduced into the nation over a thousand years ago, and its influence can be seen everywhere, from the hillsides dotted with pagodas, the monks in their saffron yellow robes, and the monasteries in almost every village that shape the character of the villagers and their institutions. At present the Sangha is the enemy of the regime. If this continues unaddressed, further bloody confrontation is unavoidable. Our spiritual obligation is to freedom, not to silence or submission.

Today, we know that several leading monks in Burma are still on the run. We do not know with any accuracy how many monks have been killed, how many were forcibly disrobed. We do not know how many are in prison. We do not know how many monks have been taken to secret locations. There is a terrible secrecy and silence over Burma.

We are at a critical moment in history. What we do know is that a number of prominent monasteries have been closed. Others emptied. Serious questions remain: where have all the monks gone? Where has the global outcry gone? This should be of grave concern for all governments worldwide. Strong, effective and timely intervention by the international community is urgently needed. This is a moral crisis that Americans must stand for.

The Saffron Revolution is not a power struggle, but a conflict between peace and moral freedom on one side and the forces of political repression on the other. Participation in this spiritual protest is justifiable in Buddhism. The religious policy of the Saffron Revolution, this Buddhist revolution of the conscience, continues to be one of peace. Throughout the Burmese history when the country was in crisis or when the people faced emergency, the spiritual leaders played a significant role in creating and maintaining peace and stability in society. But monks today are facing great challenges.

The very existence of monastic life is being destroyed by the evil military regime and it will face bloodshed again, if the international community, including UN Security Council, cannot find a collective and effective way to stop this evil regime from killings and arrests. As long as the UN Security Council could not make the regime to engage in a meaningful and time-bound dialogue with democratic opposition, led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, for peaceful transition to democracy, the spiritual revolution of monks and people will continue and another brutal crack down will be unavoidable.

The light of the Dhamma is our guide in this profound expression of spiritual revolution that inspires the hearts of millions around the world. The light of your dignity and your commitment to freedom is our source of strength. Since the non-violent approach is our way, we have concluded that we will remain peaceful under all circumstances. We firmly believe that our commitment to the Dhamma will defeat these unjust rulers in Burma.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to the freedom in our country and the freedom in our own hearts. All these things Americans value and cherish. Freedom for the people of Burma cannot be denied. The cost of that freedom is the only question.

Finally, I would like to thank President Bush and First Lady, the United States Congress and the American people for their support in our struggle and also I would like to ask President Bush to make Burma his legacy of freedom.

Thank you.

More bloody confrontation unavoidable in Myanmar: exiled monk

More bloody confrontation unavoidable in Myanmar: exiled monk

WASHINGTON (AFP) — Myanmar's Buddhist monks are prepared to face another bloody confrontation with the ruling military junta if the international community fails to force the generals to accept democratic reforms, an exiled monk with links inside Myanmar said Monday.

US-based Ashin Nayaka, a key member of the International Burmese Monks Organization, said monks were a "symbol of hope" for reforms in Myanmar but were "forcibly disrobed, assaulted and killed" by the junta.

"If this continues unaddressed, further bloody confrontation is unavoidable," he told a hearing of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom, a non-partisan panel appointed by the US president and leaders of Congress.

"The very existence of monastic life is being destroyed by the evil military regime and it will face bloodshed again, if the international community, including the UN Security Council, cannot find a collective and effective way to stop this evil regime from killings and arrests," he said.

At least 15 people died and 3,000 were jailed when Myanmar's military and police broke up pro-democracy protests, which saw Buddhist monks lead 100,000 people in the streets of Yangon on successive days.

Nayaka, a visiting scholar at Columbia University, said he had been working closely with U Gambira, the leader of the Alliance of All Burma Buddhist Monks and key leader of the September protests arrested by the junta last month.

He expressed regret that pressure by the international community on the junta had eased even as serious questions remained over the number of monks forcible disrobed, imprisoned and killed following the protests.

"Where has the global outcry gone? This should be of grave concern for all governments worldwide. This is a moral crisis that Americans must stand for," he said.

The United States, which has long imposed a trade and investment ban on Myanmar, has twice tightened sanctions since the clampdown on protests.

It ordered an asset freeze on key junta figures and blacklisted seven companies and five individuals allegedly linked to those companies and the regime.

Aung Din, executive director of the US Campaign for Burma, urged Washington to appoint a full-time sanctions coordinator for Myanmar as it did in the late 1990's against Serbian leader Slobodan Milosevic's regime accused of genocide.

This would enable coordination of global sanctions against Myanmar's junta, he said.

Citing the Australian government which had targeted financial sanctions against 418 Myanmar citizens, including 40 businessmen, he asked the US government to impose restrictions on more Myanmar businessmen who provided money to the junta leaders and their families.

Jared Genser, president of human rights group Freedom Now, raised the prospect of Washington imposing sanctions, such as those used against a Macau bank accused of money laundering for nuclear-armed North Korea, on a Southeast Asian state-owned bank suspected of links to Myanmar's military rulers.

The move against Banco Delta Asia in Macau underscored US financial clout and reportedly compelled North Korea back to the negotiating table.

"Anecdotally in conversations with diplomats in ASEAN countries, I know there is a deep concern about the prospects of the United States doing to a state-owned bank what happened to Banco Delta Asia in Macau because of its laundering of North Korean funds," Genser told the hearing.

He did not name the bank.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

PRESS RELEASE - 2/2007 - Sasana Moli’s Patron Sayadaw U Kovida’s Upcoming Visit to the West Coast

PRESS RELEASE - 2/2007
Sasana Moli’s Patron Sayadaw U Kovida’s Upcoming Visit to the West Coast

Dated - 26th November 2007

(1) Sayadaw U Kovida (Patron of Sasana Moli) will accept an Honorary Degree from University of San Francisco on behalf of Burmese Buddhist Monks in Burma and "give voice" to the monks by delivering a Commencement Address to the graduate students on Friday, December 14, 2007 at 3:30 pm in Saint Ignatius Church on the USF Campus.

(2) The Honorary Degree honors all the monks in Burma for their courage and discipline shown in the nonviolent demonstration against the repressive Burmese military regime and for their undaunted spirit in upholding the Noble Teachings.

(3) Sayadaw U Kovida is one of the highly respected senior monks expounding the Dhamma (teachings of Buddha). He has written numerous treatises (textbooks and reference books) that are studied by the monks – especially those aspiring to be Dhammacariya (Dhamma lecturers) and has taught courses to the monks for more than 50 years. He is 81 years young with full devotion to the well-being of Sasana and the monks of Burma who are upholding the Noble Teachings. Sayadaw is considered thus as the direct or indirect teacher of all the young monks in Burma.

(4) Before he left Burma in late 90s, Sayadaw was the Chief Resident Sayadaw and Patron of the most respected and famous "Masoeyein" (literally meaning "Freedom from fear and worries") monastery where monks from all over Burma come to study the Buddhist scriptures and take courses and examinations in religious studies culminating in Dhammacariya. In 1990, Sayadaw was unjustly imprisoned for three years by the Burmese regime for leading the Religious Sanction (“Boycott of Sangha”) to the junta for the regime’s injustice and brutality towards the Burmese people.

(5) In September 2007, Burmese monks staged peaceful protest chanting Metta Sutta and protective verses on the street and at the pagodas, but they were attacked and tortured by soldiers and their cronies. When the monks in Burma decided to conduct "Boycott of Sangha" – in accordance with the Vinaya rules (monastic rules of conduct) -- to the Burmese regime, Sayadaw followed the call of the monks. After the regime’s brutal crackdown on the monks, Masoeyein Sayadaw U Kovida and other senior monks outside Burma stood together in solidarity with the Burmese Buddhist monks in Burma to support and to continue the struggle of the fellow monks by forming Sasana Moli -- an "International Burmese Monks Association" -- at the end of October 2007. (See an earlier press release for the formation and principle of Sasana Moli).

(6) Sayadaw U Kovida and his fellow Burmese monks are now traveling across the globe as the representatives of the International Burmese Monks Association in solidarity with all the Burmese monks inside and outside Burma to give light to ignorant minds and to raise the awareness and support of the struggle of Burmese monks and the people towards the freedom of religion, peace and prosperity of democratic global civil society.

(7) During his visit to west coast of USA, Sayadaw will give speeches and answer questions from the concerned & interested public -- Burmese or non-Burmese, Buddhist or non-Buddhist -- on the struggle of Burmese monks to free Burma from the oppressive military regime.

(8) We will be welcoming interested persons and organization to be able to be part of our sponsoring and supporting community of this current tour of Sasana Moli Association in the west coast into a success.

(9) We will be updating of Sayadaw's schedule and events of interest. Please contact – http://sasanamoli.org contact@sasanamoli.org with the attention to the following persons on behalf of this press release.

Ashin Gunissara, Dhammajoti Vihara, Los Angeles, CA (tawwin@yahoo.com)
Ashin Nanika, Mettananda Vihara, Fremont, CA (ashinnanika@yahoo.com)
Ashin Osadha, Dhammananda Vihara, Half Moon Bay, CA (osadha.ashin@gmail.com)
Maung Yit, MoeMaKa Burmese News & Media, San Francisco, CA (maungyit@gmail.com)

Honorary degree from University of San Francisco be awarded to Ma Soe Yein Sayadaw U Kavida on behalf of Burmese Buddhist Monks in Burma

Honorary degree from University of San Francisco be awarded to Ma Soe Yein Sayadaw U Kavida on behalf of Burmese Buddhist Monks in Burma

The Invitation letter is shown as followed....

University of San Francisco

Office of the President

October 23, 2007

2130 Fulton Street

San Francisco, CA 94117-1080

Tel 415 422 0762

Fax 415 422 2303

Ma Soe Yein Sayadaw U Kavida

3231 E15th Street

Brooklyn, NY 11238

Dear Sayadaw U Kavida

It is my honor to extend an invitation to you from our Board of Trustees to accept an honorary degree on behalf of the Burmese Buddhist monks. We would like you to accept the degree from the University of San Francisco (USF) not in your own name, but on behalf of these thousands of the courageous monks for their nonviolent demonstration against the repressive Burmese military regime. We also ask you to "give voice" to these monks by delivering a Commencement Address to our graduate students who are receiving their degrees on Friday, December 14, 2007, at 3:30 pm in Saint Ignatius Church on the USF campus.

Nearly twenty years ago next month, six members of the Society of Jesus were killed in El Salvador for their similarly courageous denunciations of a repressive government. As we have honored our Jesuit brothers, so would the Jesuit University of San Francisco honor the monks of Burma for their courage, compassion and commitment to securing the human and democratic rights of the people of Burma in the face of a harshly repressive military dictatorship.

The University mantra is educating minds and hearts to change the world. The Buddhist monks of Burma serve as a most inspiring role model for our students. They embody the ideals that guide our educational efforts. The chant of "Do-aye" ("It is our task"), a slogan of determination heard on audio recordings from Burma during these protests, is the passion we hope will fire our students as they accept their task to right the world's wrongs.

In 2003, the University honored His Holiness the Dalai Lama with an honor degree and welcomed him into Jesuit community for three days. His presence among us was a great gift and his message of universal compassion was well received. Similarly, the University community now wants to honor the Buddhist monks of Burma and receive from you a message from them.

The University will provide the necessary resources for your travels to San Francisco. The USF Jesuit community would be honored if you would reside with them during your visit. We ask that the Commencement Address not exceed 12 minutes.

I hope you are able to accept this honorary degree that honors your brother monks of Burma for having the courage of their convictions. We also hope that the honor will call continuing public attention to the repressive military regime's continuing and brutal anti-democratic efforts. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Stephen A. Privet, S. J.

President