Burma's Monks - Buddha's Warriors

Jawahara,
Really touching article. I'm reminded of Amitav Ghosh's Glass Palace which talks abt the turbulent times this country has had

Sorry, hit "Publish" accidentally...

When I read that book-years ago-I was struck by the same sense of how little I knew about these parts of the world, even though they were our neighbors.
I hear on the news here that the US is pressuring the junta, hope that works in the people's favor.

Jawahara, I think you will enjoy the book- Saving Fish From Drowning By Amy Tan. The book is based on American tourists being marooned in Myanmar. Despite its humorous tones what did come across in the book was the silent pain that the Burmese people seem to be going through and of course their innocence.

The monks are true warriors of peace and in today's world of anger there is much that we can learn from them.

Update:

I was listening to the BBC while driving back from an appointment.

The army has opened fire and has started beating other protestors with batons. The protesters have said they will not stop until there is a dialogue. Let's see how this ends.

only one way out---------->an indian invasion

Ohmygosh! Run for your lives! The Western media are saying that there's a Saffron Revolution coming!

Oh wait, it's only happening in Burma nextdoor. If saffron monks are rioting there, then it must be okay. It's only if somebody wears saffron in India that they must be Nazi. Never mind the idea of them rioting -- then they should be put to death by Sonia Gandhi.

Thank goodness for fair standards in the Western media -- NOT.

http://tinyurl.com/2k3an7

Jawahara, this is an intensely personal and touching article. Please keep us updated and let's hope things turn out well.

Thank you for a moving article. I did a story in my blog as soon as I saw the story. All of us who have the ability to speak out need to do so as loudly as possible to keep pressure on the ruling military not to use violence.

The monks need to be lifted up for using their moral authority to battle a repressive regime. As I said in my short piece, I just wish religious leaders everywhere had the courage to lead from the front.

Again, thank you for excellent writing.

This is interesting - Burma's democracy movement and the US, UK do not recognize the name change to Myanmar. Should we too follow suit and stop using Myanmar? Is Myanmar the historical name or was it coined by the junta? Who props up the junta?

So many questions, thanks J for provoking them.

It's weird Aaman, most of the Burmese people I know (and relatives for that matter who were quite active in the democracy movement) still call it Burma. Which is why I used the old name in this article. In fact the opposition to the military regime continues to use Burma.

Myanmar was named so by the military regime (though it is supposedly closer to the local Burmese name). The language is still called Burmese, not Myanmari or something.

Sanjay, they are not rioting, but marching in protest. There is a difference.

Ray, I could not find your blog. Would love to read it.

PH and Deepti, I've read both books. I liked The Glass Palace but Amy Tan irritates me for some reason :-)

And Chandra, what can I say? *shakes her head*

One thing though, which is my one DC gripe (well, apart from the spoiler alert warning).

If you decide to run a piece with a changed title, please, please, please let the author know before publication.

That is something that most publications will inform authors about. There are times that I might choose not to have a piece run at all if I don't agree with the title.

In this one for instance, there was a reason for not putting Myanmar in the title.

Mainly because an article about political resistance should not use the name of the country that the protesters make a point of *not* using.

Good point, will note

Do you want it changed to Burma?

Thanks Aaman. Yes, Burma would be great. :-)

Yawwnn.. another failed state flanking our border.. anything new there?

Good that at least Tibet is under Chinese control.. imagine it becoming independent.. Despite all the hulla bulla of Buddhism and the Dalai llama, it would probably end up becoming another Burma or Nepal or even Cambodia. And Dharamsala would seem like a picnic compared to the refugees who would spill into India then..

Aaman,
Here's the BBC on the Myanmar-Burma split.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7013943.stm

It was indeed coined by the junta in '89. But Bush and the American media refer to it as Myanmar, so its probably just UK who dont recognize the new name.

Aaman,
Oops:) Didn't realize you and I were talking abt the same piece.

Jawahara,

This was a very moving and well written article. One of the reasons that many of us (not just in India, I write from Israel) do not know too much about Burma is that the dictatorship ru(i)nning the nation keeps it closed as though it were a personal fief. Then a basic rule of human nature applies: out of sight - out of mind.

Were it only true that we had thousands of dedicated rabbis here willing to risk arrest and death to change our nation to be the instrument of Redemption that it can be. BURMA'S "Warriors of Buddha" are a model that put the rest of us to shame.

Kol hakavód! - All honor to you!

moadím l'simHá - may this become a season of joy and freedom for the people of Burma
Reuven

hi jawahara,

nice article, but i am a little confused. are you saying india should get involved in the mess in burma? i dont think going down that road has any benefit for india, and india's foreign policy has to be focused on that point only. we've already burnt our fingers in sri lanka.

I too take personally the Burmese military government's brutal depravity. My great-grandfather emigrated to Burma from India around 1910, and became relatively successful in the booming agro-business. My family lived in Rangoon for about 50 years (my father and all his siblings were born there) until they were basically booted out after the coup.

It is troubling to see the Indian government issue mealy-mouthed statements urging "both sides" to reach some accomodation. The nation that invented modern civil disobedience should know better, and should know where its loyalties lie. They lie squarely with the protesters, not a regime that has enforced poverty and terror on its citizens for half a century.

India has a great moral obligation to tell the
military regime in strong language that " enough
is enough". All the freedom loving people around the world must support the freedom fighters of Burma. They are going to get freedom
now or later.

India should invade and overthrow the military regime in Myanmar. This is the best solution. Are we prepared?

For years we have been very nice to the ruling Junta without any tangible results. Morever, while the Govt there lets us invest in their resources, most of those resources go to the Chinese. Most of the regime (execpt one senior general) are pro-chinese. It is time we moved in , bombed the generals out and establish a more broadbased Govt. This is the only option. The chinese donot have the courage to sacrifice their economic benefits in order to protect the thug Myanmar regime.

rgds

Hello all:

First of all, an update: Yesterday the military government attacked protestors, invaded the monasteries, beat up monks and civilians, arrested lots of them and fired into crowds, killing some.

Rahul, no I was not saying India should get involved and invade Burma. This was just an article (or opinion piece) really about what is happening there.

I believe 100,000 people demonstrating for 10-11 days should be a *huge deal*, and the news media should be focusing on that. Instead, apart from the BBC I don't see much coverage of this monumental effort. For once I would welcome a media circus.

Ultimately it is the people of Burma who must (and will) prevail and not because of any misguided invasions.

And yes, I am very disappointed in the Indian government's response and relationship with Burma...and especially the junta. I know China said that "both sides must show restraint," but India?

That's like saying that the satyagrahis and the imperialists attacking them with lathis should both have shown restraint.

Who should be showing restraint? The peaceful protestors who've finally had enough of repression. Or those who are firing at them, attacking them with batons, ransacking monastries? So, Raj, I totally agree.

Ruvy, yes the junta has really kept Burma isolated from the world. The couple of times my mother visited during the junta's regime was quite scary. They were followed everywhere and had to pretend they didn't speak Burmese...because people who don't look Burmese but speak the language were denied visas.

And, if more religious leaders were like these monks, heck I might even become religious myself.

This is the right time for India to tell the
military regime to quit and let the people
make their political decisions.

India's foreign policy of watching and waiting
is such a gutless policy and the world community will look at India with less respect for this
neutral policy.

jay:

nice article

read somewhere there is a strong working relationship between US drug lords and the triangle mafiosi

democracy is an anathema for those guys

Was touched to read this piece. You expressed much of what I feel about this whole issue.

Hey J - I'd say this is a wonderful article but its such a disturbing subject. I feel exactly the way you do about india's "show restraint" attitude. even as i write this, the junta is rounding up civilians and monks for "interrogation". so much for our being a "superpower" if we can't even lean on a 'friendly' neighbor not to torture its citizens.

That said, I dont think an invasion is the right way to go. I often hear from friends who work at the UN that India has some of the best diplomats they've ever seen - surely some of them could talk to the junta.