Dear Friends,
The monks’ movement is really growing and gaining support from the people. Today hundreds of monks in two major cities in Mandalay Division took peace walks early in the morning. More than one thousand people came out to show their respect and support to the monks, while some people even broke into tears. Monks in one city in Magwe Division began the alms boycott yesterday.
U Ti Lawka, a senior monk from Ywama Monastery of Insein Township in Rangoon, was arrested this afternoon around 1:00 pm. And members of the USDA's militias group, Swan-arr-shin, have shaved heads impersonating as monks and the authorities have already issued them monk identity cards, inside sources confirmed this evening.
Tomorrow seems already an intense day for Burma as monks from Rangoon, Mandalay, Pakkhoku, Myinggyan, and Thayarwady said they are ready to join the call by the Alliance of All Burmese Monks for a nationwide demonstration tomorrow by starting an alms boycott and holding peace walks to Shwedagon and Maha Myatmuni Pagodas in Rangoon and Mandalay at 1 pm tomorrow as well as holding prayer sessions in other parts of the country if the SPDC does not offer an apology for using violence against monks in peaceful demonstrations.
The SPDC from the new capital Naypyidaw issued an intruction to all states and divisions yesterday not to disturb the proceedings of monks, but if and once people join the monks, another instruction will come how to respond. An order has been quietly issued to the civil servants in Rangoon that today and tomorrow are emergency days. The civil servants have been threatened that they must not be late to office and not to join the demonstration, or the entire would be fired. They ordered the gates closed during the office hours.
The security has been tightened in Kyaik Than Lan pagoda in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State with police patrolling the city in vehicles. Personnel of the Burmese Navy and the police are guarding the platform around the pagoda. The authorities have ordered its staff to guard government departments and other work places 24 hours. Abbots from some monasteries in Mayangone Township in Rangoon have ordered monks not to go out to receive alms from people in the morning.
Please be vigilant, and I will keep you posted on the situation tomorrow as soon as I get information. Attached please find the summary of events in Burma for the 4th week and the update below.
In Solidarity,
Khin Ohmar
Coordinator,
APPPB
I. Update on Monks Movement:
1) Alms Boybott in Chauk, Magwe Division (Sept 16): Monks from Koe-zaung Monastery in Myinggyan yesterday morning refused alms offered by the USDA officials from Myinggyan Township. Alms were prepared for 350 monks, but only about 50 came to receive it.
2) Peace Walk in Myinggyan, Mandalay Division (Sept 17): Another thirty monks in Chauk Township in Magwe Division took a peace walk at 5:30 am this early morning around the city market to Sasana Beikman, the city's religious hall and recited the Paritta Sutta (to protect one from evil or harm) during the walk, a senior monk at Ledi monastery in Chauk told The Irrawady. The monks marched. A senior monk added that on Sunday morning about 30 monks also marched in a peaceful demonstration after making their daily alms round. Monks in Chauk said they have not enacted a “patam nikkuijana kamma” or refusal to accept alms from the military regime and its supporters because they have not received an official letter from the “The Alliance of Burmese Buddhist Monks,” a group that called for an alms boycott on Saturday. The group also called on all monks to stage peaceful demonstrations on Tuesday, following the junta's refusal to apologize for violence used against monks in earlier demonstrations.
3) Peace Walk in Kyaukpadaung, Mandalay Division (Today, Sept 17): More than 700 Buddhist monks in Kyaukpadaung Township of Mandalay Division took a peace walk at 6 a.m. this morning to the city's main pagoda, Zaydi Gyi, and recited metta sutta (the Buddha’s words on loving kindness) in dedication to those people who were suffering and faced mounting difficulties each day in making a living, according to a senior monk at Kay Mar Thi Wun Monastery in Kyaukpadaung.
4) Monks Ready to Demonstrate Tomorrow (Sept 18): The “Alliance of All Burmese Monks” released a second statement on Sept 15 saying monks should not accept alms from members of the military government and their supporters, starting today, Sept 17. They called for a demonstration of monks nationwide tomorrow on Sept 18 by starting an alms boycott of all members of the Union of Solidarity and Development Association, Swan Arr Shin and all government workers and doing holding peace walks to Shwedagon and Maha Myatmuni Pagodas in Rangoon and Mandalay at 1 pm tomorrow as well as prayer sessions in other parts of the country. First leaflet, released last week, demanded an apology from the junta by today for using violence against monks in peaceful demonstrations. It was announced that they would enact a “patam nikkuijana kamma," or refusal to accept alms, if an apology was not made. Monks from Rangoon, Mandalay, Pakkhoku, Myinggyan, and Thayarwady have pledged they are joining the alms boycott.
Most people in Burma are counting on Buddhist monks who hold the highest moral authority in the society to take the lead in challenging the repressive regime in the mostly Buddhist country. Renowned Burmese Actor and director Kyaw Thu, who has been recently ordered by authorities not to give interviews with media on recent protests, expressed his support of the monks’ call for an alms boycott. The celebrity actor used to provide a voluntary funeral service for the poor which was banned by the authorities a few months ago.
On Sept 15, Htay Kywe, a leader of the ’88 Generation Students Group, and on Sept 16, two other members of the Group, Tun Myint Aung and Nilar Thein, gave interviews with Burmese media regarding the monks call for an alms boycott. An association of Buddhist monks in Cox Bazaar, Bangladesh today issued a statement supporting the alms boycott by the monks in Burma.
II. Update on Democracy Activists:
1) NLD Phone Lines Cut Off (Sept 16): The Burmese military junta cut all phone lines to the headquarters of Burma's main pro-democracy party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), in a move designed to stem the flow of reports and images broadcast to the outside world. On this coming September 27, NLD will celebrate the party's 19th founding anniversary.
2) Two HR Defenders Arrested (Sept 15): Two more members of the Human Rights Defenders and Promoters, Thet Oo and Zaw Htun, were arrested in Pyay in upper Burma.
3) Poster Protest by Former Moulmein University students (Sept 16): Former Moulmein University students posted posters demanding a roll back in fuel prices and urged the junta to solve the problems of the people. They have pledged they would follow and join the monks if the Burmese regime does not concede their demands.
III. “Toward Free Burma” Actions Around the World:
1) Boycott Air Bagan, Singapore (Sept 16): Burmese in Singapore has called for the boycott of Air Bagan – an Airline owned by Burmese Tycoon Taeza who is a crony of General Than Shwe and the SPDC.
2) Karen People Protest, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (Sept 16): More than 500 Karen people from Burma living in St. Paul, Minnesota showed their solidarity with the people in Burma who are protesting the Burmese junta by holding a rally in front of the City Hall on Sunday.
3) Protestors Demand Free Daw ASSSK, Manipur, India (Sept 16): Indias Anti-AFSPA protestors demand "Free Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi" along with their ongoing solidarity fast in support of Irom Chanu Sharmila's struggle to repeal Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Irom Chanu Sharmila the iron lady of Manipur in India, has been on a continuous fast since 2000 demanding repeal of AFSPA. Despite the restrictions of house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi continued to campaign for democracy, similar to Irom Sharmila, who has been under confinement and steadfastly protesting against AFSPA since past 7 years now.
4) Protest in Seoul, Korea (Sept 18): Tomorrow, NLD-LA (Korea Branch) together with Burmese community and Korean friends of Burma will hold a protest in front of Burmese Consulate from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
5) Burmese Protest in Bangkok, Thailand (Sept 18): Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association and ONSOB will hold a protest in front of SPDC Embassy in Bangkok at 10 am.
6) Burma Solidarity Day in Imphal, Manipur, India (Sept 18): Tomorrow the Solidarity Committee for Burma Democracy, Manipur and All Burma Students League would organize Burma Solidarity Day in Imphal, capital of Manipur state bordering with Burma.
A number of officials from the state and political parties as well as former members of parliamentarians, together with officials from the Indian Federation of Trade Unions will join the event.
7) Three Protests in San Francisco, CA, USA (Sept 18): Tomorrow, three demonstrations in a roll will be launched in front of Russia, India and China Consulates in San Francisco by Burmese community and friends of Burma organized by Burmese American Democratic Alliance.
8) US Campaign for Burma (USCB)’s Protest against China (Sept 18): There will be a number of protests in collaboration with the call from USCB to protest China in many parts of US including San Francisco, as well as in some other countries.
Letters to Asean and China: Three members of the ’88 Generation Students Group, Nilar Thein, Tun Myint Aung and Soe Tun, have also sent letters to the leaders of Asean and China dated Sept 17 to stop supporting the SPDC and join the people of Burma and international community.
9) Protest against Japanese Government (Sept 19): Joint Action Committee of Burmese groups and Burma supporters in Japan will stage a protest against the Japanese Government for its silence over the current situation in Burma. Burmese and Japanese friends of Burma visited the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in request to pressure the SPDC, but was replied by officials that Japanese Government will wait and see over this situation. This protest on Wednesday is in response to this policy.
10) Public Rally at the UN, New York, USA (Sept 21): Burmese and Burma supporters in the US will hold a rally in front of the UN on Sept 21. At noon, people will gather in front of the Russian Mission to the UN and then will march to Chinese Mission and then stop at the UN.
IV. International Response:
1) HR Organizations Urge Human Rights Council (Sept 15): Four regional human rights organizations, including Forum Asia and Asian Legal Resource Center, urged the UN HR Council in Geneva to take practical actions on Burma situation.
2) Burma Ranks the Worst Government (Sept 14): Burma has been ranked ‘zero,’ the worst government in the world according to the amount of freedom citizens have to voice opinions and select a government, according to the latest Worldwide Governance Indicators report. Countries with the worst overall rankings included Burma 0, China 4 and Vietnam 8.
The Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) research project, covering 212 countries and territories, measured six areas of governance between 1996 and 2006 to make its rankings: Voice and Accountability, Political Stability and Absence of Violence, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law and Control of Corruption. In the Voice and Accountability category, Burma has ranked near ‘zero’ since 1996.
The monks’ movement is really growing and gaining support from the people. Today hundreds of monks in two major cities in Mandalay Division took peace walks early in the morning. More than one thousand people came out to show their respect and support to the monks, while some people even broke into tears. Monks in one city in Magwe Division began the alms boycott yesterday.
U Ti Lawka, a senior monk from Ywama Monastery of Insein Township in Rangoon, was arrested this afternoon around 1:00 pm. And members of the USDA's militias group, Swan-arr-shin, have shaved heads impersonating as monks and the authorities have already issued them monk identity cards, inside sources confirmed this evening.
Tomorrow seems already an intense day for Burma as monks from Rangoon, Mandalay, Pakkhoku, Myinggyan, and Thayarwady said they are ready to join the call by the Alliance of All Burmese Monks for a nationwide demonstration tomorrow by starting an alms boycott and holding peace walks to Shwedagon and Maha Myatmuni Pagodas in Rangoon and Mandalay at 1 pm tomorrow as well as holding prayer sessions in other parts of the country if the SPDC does not offer an apology for using violence against monks in peaceful demonstrations.
The SPDC from the new capital Naypyidaw issued an intruction to all states and divisions yesterday not to disturb the proceedings of monks, but if and once people join the monks, another instruction will come how to respond. An order has been quietly issued to the civil servants in Rangoon that today and tomorrow are emergency days. The civil servants have been threatened that they must not be late to office and not to join the demonstration, or the entire would be fired. They ordered the gates closed during the office hours.
The security has been tightened in Kyaik Than Lan pagoda in Moulmein, the capital of Mon State with police patrolling the city in vehicles. Personnel of the Burmese Navy and the police are guarding the platform around the pagoda. The authorities have ordered its staff to guard government departments and other work places 24 hours. Abbots from some monasteries in Mayangone Township in Rangoon have ordered monks not to go out to receive alms from people in the morning.
Please be vigilant, and I will keep you posted on the situation tomorrow as soon as I get information. Attached please find the summary of events in Burma for the 4th week and the update below.
In Solidarity,
Khin Ohmar
Coordinator,
APPPB
I. Update on Monks Movement:
1) Alms Boybott in Chauk, Magwe Division (Sept 16): Monks from Koe-zaung Monastery in Myinggyan yesterday morning refused alms offered by the USDA officials from Myinggyan Township. Alms were prepared for 350 monks, but only about 50 came to receive it.
2) Peace Walk in Myinggyan, Mandalay Division (Sept 17): Another thirty monks in Chauk Township in Magwe Division took a peace walk at 5:30 am this early morning around the city market to Sasana Beikman, the city's religious hall and recited the Paritta Sutta (to protect one from evil or harm) during the walk, a senior monk at Ledi monastery in Chauk told The Irrawady. The monks marched. A senior monk added that on Sunday morning about 30 monks also marched in a peaceful demonstration after making their daily alms round. Monks in Chauk said they have not enacted a “patam nikkuijana kamma” or refusal to accept alms from the military regime and its supporters because they have not received an official letter from the “The Alliance of Burmese Buddhist Monks,” a group that called for an alms boycott on Saturday. The group also called on all monks to stage peaceful demonstrations on Tuesday, following the junta's refusal to apologize for violence used against monks in earlier demonstrations.
3) Peace Walk in Kyaukpadaung, Mandalay Division (Today, Sept 17): More than 700 Buddhist monks in Kyaukpadaung Township of Mandalay Division took a peace walk at 6 a.m. this morning to the city's main pagoda, Zaydi Gyi, and recited metta sutta (the Buddha’s words on loving kindness) in dedication to those people who were suffering and faced mounting difficulties each day in making a living, according to a senior monk at Kay Mar Thi Wun Monastery in Kyaukpadaung.
4) Monks Ready to Demonstrate Tomorrow (Sept 18): The “Alliance of All Burmese Monks” released a second statement on Sept 15 saying monks should not accept alms from members of the military government and their supporters, starting today, Sept 17. They called for a demonstration of monks nationwide tomorrow on Sept 18 by starting an alms boycott of all members of the Union of Solidarity and Development Association, Swan Arr Shin and all government workers and doing holding peace walks to Shwedagon and Maha Myatmuni Pagodas in Rangoon and Mandalay at 1 pm tomorrow as well as prayer sessions in other parts of the country. First leaflet, released last week, demanded an apology from the junta by today for using violence against monks in peaceful demonstrations. It was announced that they would enact a “patam nikkuijana kamma," or refusal to accept alms, if an apology was not made. Monks from Rangoon, Mandalay, Pakkhoku, Myinggyan, and Thayarwady have pledged they are joining the alms boycott.
Most people in Burma are counting on Buddhist monks who hold the highest moral authority in the society to take the lead in challenging the repressive regime in the mostly Buddhist country. Renowned Burmese Actor and director Kyaw Thu, who has been recently ordered by authorities not to give interviews with media on recent protests, expressed his support of the monks’ call for an alms boycott. The celebrity actor used to provide a voluntary funeral service for the poor which was banned by the authorities a few months ago.
On Sept 15, Htay Kywe, a leader of the ’88 Generation Students Group, and on Sept 16, two other members of the Group, Tun Myint Aung and Nilar Thein, gave interviews with Burmese media regarding the monks call for an alms boycott. An association of Buddhist monks in Cox Bazaar, Bangladesh today issued a statement supporting the alms boycott by the monks in Burma.
II. Update on Democracy Activists:
1) NLD Phone Lines Cut Off (Sept 16): The Burmese military junta cut all phone lines to the headquarters of Burma's main pro-democracy party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), in a move designed to stem the flow of reports and images broadcast to the outside world. On this coming September 27, NLD will celebrate the party's 19th founding anniversary.
2) Two HR Defenders Arrested (Sept 15): Two more members of the Human Rights Defenders and Promoters, Thet Oo and Zaw Htun, were arrested in Pyay in upper Burma.
3) Poster Protest by Former Moulmein University students (Sept 16): Former Moulmein University students posted posters demanding a roll back in fuel prices and urged the junta to solve the problems of the people. They have pledged they would follow and join the monks if the Burmese regime does not concede their demands.
III. “Toward Free Burma” Actions Around the World:
1) Boycott Air Bagan, Singapore (Sept 16): Burmese in Singapore has called for the boycott of Air Bagan – an Airline owned by Burmese Tycoon Taeza who is a crony of General Than Shwe and the SPDC.
2) Karen People Protest, St. Paul, Minnesota, USA (Sept 16): More than 500 Karen people from Burma living in St. Paul, Minnesota showed their solidarity with the people in Burma who are protesting the Burmese junta by holding a rally in front of the City Hall on Sunday.
3) Protestors Demand Free Daw ASSSK, Manipur, India (Sept 16): Indias Anti-AFSPA protestors demand "Free Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi" along with their ongoing solidarity fast in support of Irom Chanu Sharmila's struggle to repeal Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Irom Chanu Sharmila the iron lady of Manipur in India, has been on a continuous fast since 2000 demanding repeal of AFSPA. Despite the restrictions of house arrest, Aung San Suu Kyi continued to campaign for democracy, similar to Irom Sharmila, who has been under confinement and steadfastly protesting against AFSPA since past 7 years now.
4) Protest in Seoul, Korea (Sept 18): Tomorrow, NLD-LA (Korea Branch) together with Burmese community and Korean friends of Burma will hold a protest in front of Burmese Consulate from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.
5) Burmese Protest in Bangkok, Thailand (Sept 18): Yaung Chi Oo Workers Association and ONSOB will hold a protest in front of SPDC Embassy in Bangkok at 10 am.
6) Burma Solidarity Day in Imphal, Manipur, India (Sept 18): Tomorrow the Solidarity Committee for Burma Democracy, Manipur and All Burma Students League would organize Burma Solidarity Day in Imphal, capital of Manipur state bordering with Burma.
A number of officials from the state and political parties as well as former members of parliamentarians, together with officials from the Indian Federation of Trade Unions will join the event.
7) Three Protests in San Francisco, CA, USA (Sept 18): Tomorrow, three demonstrations in a roll will be launched in front of Russia, India and China Consulates in San Francisco by Burmese community and friends of Burma organized by Burmese American Democratic Alliance.
8) US Campaign for Burma (USCB)’s Protest against China (Sept 18): There will be a number of protests in collaboration with the call from USCB to protest China in many parts of US including San Francisco, as well as in some other countries.
Letters to Asean and China: Three members of the ’88 Generation Students Group, Nilar Thein, Tun Myint Aung and Soe Tun, have also sent letters to the leaders of Asean and China dated Sept 17 to stop supporting the SPDC and join the people of Burma and international community.
9) Protest against Japanese Government (Sept 19): Joint Action Committee of Burmese groups and Burma supporters in Japan will stage a protest against the Japanese Government for its silence over the current situation in Burma. Burmese and Japanese friends of Burma visited the Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs in request to pressure the SPDC, but was replied by officials that Japanese Government will wait and see over this situation. This protest on Wednesday is in response to this policy.
10) Public Rally at the UN, New York, USA (Sept 21): Burmese and Burma supporters in the US will hold a rally in front of the UN on Sept 21. At noon, people will gather in front of the Russian Mission to the UN and then will march to Chinese Mission and then stop at the UN.
IV. International Response:
1) HR Organizations Urge Human Rights Council (Sept 15): Four regional human rights organizations, including Forum Asia and Asian Legal Resource Center, urged the UN HR Council in Geneva to take practical actions on Burma situation.
2) Burma Ranks the Worst Government (Sept 14): Burma has been ranked ‘zero,’ the worst government in the world according to the amount of freedom citizens have to voice opinions and select a government, according to the latest Worldwide Governance Indicators report. Countries with the worst overall rankings included Burma 0, China 4 and Vietnam 8.
The Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI) research project, covering 212 countries and territories, measured six areas of governance between 1996 and 2006 to make its rankings: Voice and Accountability, Political Stability and Absence of Violence, Government Effectiveness, Regulatory Quality, Rule of Law and Control of Corruption. In the Voice and Accountability category, Burma has ranked near ‘zero’ since 1996.
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