One-Year Anniversary of the Saffron Revolution
A Revolution of the Spirit
Friday, September 26, 2008
One year ago, last September, 100,000 Buddhist monks and nuns poured into streets of Burma, chanting the sutra of loving-kindness or metta. This “Saffron Revolution” aimed to change the hearts of generals who run one of the world’s most repressive regimes. The monks’ actions encouraged hundreds of thousands of ordinary Burmese to take to the streets and join their quest for justice. The world watched breathlessly as their nonviolent courage galvanized a nation. A few days into their actions, the Burmese military reclaimed the streets, in a brutal crackdown that left hundreds dead, monasteries closed, monks imprisoned and disrobed, many fleeing to the countryside.
The Burmese have suffered since 1962 under brutal military junta that has turned the “rice bowl of Asia” into a destitute country. Fear controls the people. Torture, imprisonment, forced labor, the burning of whole villages, and conscripting child soldiers are the norm.
It took years to bring change to South Africa’s brutal apartheid regime. It may still take more years to bring change to Burma. But in Burma we have the principled, powerful example of Aung San Suu Kyi and the Buddhist monks and nuns who have refused to hate or retaliate in the face of horrific violence and injustice.
Western Buddhists owe a debt of gratitude to the Burmese for helping to bring the Buddha’s teachings to the West. They have kept and treasured the dharma for two thousand years. Whether Theravadan, Mahayana or Vajrajana, all Western Buddhists have been touched by the depth of Burmese Buddhism. And now many monasteries remain closed and thousands of monks remain unaccounted for.
The Burmese act in near isolation from outside support. But backing for their quest for democracy grows. Through careful and quiet channels, the democracy movement in Burma knows what we do on their behalf here in the US. Our support is precious to them in their struggle. The Burmese need us to speak with them and for them.
Keep the courage and heart of the Buddhist monks and nuns in Burma alive. Honor the Saffron Revolution though taking some action, however small to keep their struggle in awareness, knowing that the revolution is far from over. Let the Burmese regime and the world know that we will continue to raise our voices until the military junta yields to a free and civil Burma.
The International Burmese Monks Organization (IBMO) has called for September 26 to be a Day of Action for Burma and they will hold an all day meditation at the United Nations in NYC on Friday September 26, along with other NYC public events. If you are in NYC, please join them. BPF website will post the event and others we know about. Below are some suggestions for actions. The BPF web-site will have materials to print and use for these. Thank you for all your good intentions and actions.
Saffron Revolution
IDEAS FOR ACTIONS
- Hold a public meditation.
- Hold a peaceful candlelight (or daytime) march, chanting the metta sutra as the monks did. (metta sutra on BPF website) ("Where are the Monks?" Sign)
- Build mock monasteries in a public place (like the shanty-towns villages which sprang up on college campuses during the apartheid era) asking, “Where are the monks?”
- Call or email Senator Obama my.barackobama.com and Senator McCain johnmccain.com to ask them to mention the anniversary on that day, e.g. “Please, as a global citizen and US Presidential nominee, remind the world of the courage of the monks and nuns one year ago today to stand up and speak for their land with 50 million citizens being held hostage by their own government.”
- Call your radio and TV stations or send a PSA to be read about the one-year anniversary. (on BPF website)
- Create life size puppets.
- Organize a teach-in on Burma.
- Ask your Buddhist teacher to do a talk on the Burmese monastic’s actions in 2007 and/or socially engaged Buddhism.
- Hold a special meditation or service either at your center or in public in support of the monastics in Burma.
- Write a letter to the editor about the anniversary and current conditions in Burma.
- Write to the UN Secretary General asking for a complete arms embargo on Burma. (sample letter on BPF web-site.)
- Host a speaker on Burma. (There may be a monk or Burmese expert near you. Contact us for suggestions.)
- Send an email to release Aung San Suu Kyi and all political prisoners. www.amnestyusa.org/myanmar-burma/action/
- Show a movie on Burma. (Contact us for info.)
- Hang banners in public places.
- Enjoy your freedoms. And as Aung San Suu Kyi says,
“Please use your liberty to gain ours.”
In peace,
Margaret Howe and Alan Senauke
Clear View Project
707-360-8452
margaret@clearviewproject.org
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