The Saffron Revolution in Burma
On August 15th, 2007, the Burmese military dictators raised gasoline and natural gas prices by as much as 500 percent, citing global rises in fuel prices and a constricted supply. Serving as the straw that broke the camel’s back in this socially repressive, economically depressed, and technologically deprived South East Asian nation of about 50 million, small protests erupted in many cities around the country. Growing in fervor and size every day during August, despite threats of action by the generals, these first protests in almost 10 years in Burma brought international attention once again to the despotic regime and their suffering people.
As the protests gained momentum, the junta physically assaulted protesters and attempted to incite rioting using plain-clothed security forces. The junta used these same tactics rather effectively during the failed 1988 uprisings, but things would be different this time. This time, the monks are taking the lead.
Buddhism has in it a special place reserved for reverence of enlightened rulers who make laws using and upholding Buddha’s teachings. For centuries, Burmese leaders have claimed legitimacy through the practice, protection, and promotion of Buddhism, in a similar tradition to the kings of Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The military junta, in the shadow of the kings, claims to be upholding the teachings of the Buddha and his followers. It is the monks, as the clergy in Buddhism, who, in performing sacrament and accepting alms, signal to the people that the government is upholding these teachings, including tolerance, understanding, compassion, and purposeful social actions. But any glance at the various annual reports on the disastrous human rights situation in the country makes it clear that the junta is not walking in the shadow of Buddha or the ancient Burmese kings, but more marching with the likes of Pol Pot and Mao. And so, after 20 years of deadly silence, the monks are engaging in a boycott of the government. The junta can no longer claim to be working in the name of Buddha.
It appears that the lack of separation of church and state in Burma has actually helped the chances of this Saffron Revolution’s success. Because the monks are boycotting the junta, and since the junta claims legitimacy based on Buddhism, it is precisely the lack of separation between the church and state that may bring down the government.
No one can say for sure where this Saffron Revolution will lead. Just today in Burma up to 7 monks and nuns were killed, tens more injured, and hundreds more arrested. But the people didn’t retreat; 100,000 took to the streets despite the mounting violence. The thoughts of the world are with the Burmese people and their monks in their time of need.
As the popular Burmese freedom chant goes, “Do Ye, Do Ye, Democracy Yashi Ye!”—”Our Cause, Our Cause, Democracy Now!”
[UPDATE: As of September 28th, the military has cut internet communications off, occupied key monasteries (sieged in the night), arrested hundreds of monks, and killed at least 200 unarmed protesters and monks. But the people continue to march, with near to 100,000 taking to the streets of Rangoon for an 11th day.]
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The United Nations and the rest of the world’s advocacy organizations and individuals in positions of power need to cast the harsh light of truth on the hideous repression of the military dictatorship in Myanmar and support the Burmese people’s struggle for justice and basic freedoms in all arenas.
It is too easy to turn a blind eye to circumstances unfolding in Asia and elsewhere involving human rights cultural, ethnic and religious repression while we are pre-occupied with the war in Iraq, uproar over the comments of the president of Iran, and cycling through volumes of mindless dither generated by the media to sensationalize matters of absolutely no consequence.
I commend the American Humanist for following these events as they unfold and bringing the issues to the attention of members.
Holle Weiss-Friedman
Brunswick, Georgia
[...] On August 15th, 2007, the Burmese military dictators raised gasoline and natural gas prices by as much as 500 percent, citing global rises in fuel prices and a constricted supply. Serving as the straw that broke the camel’s back in this socially repressive, economically depressed, and technologically deprived South East Asian nation of about 50 million, small protests erupted in many cities around the country. Growing in fervor and size every day during August, despite threats of action by the generals, these first protests in almost 10 years in Burma brought international attention once again to the despotic regime and their suffering people. Read full Story…. [...]
Our own Dear Leader in America claims his “military industrial religious junta” Presidency is based on the Christian religion. Maybe if we had 1,000 PRIESTS, NUNS, Christian MONKS, Protestant MINISTERS, etc. marching in the streets, in protest against the War in Iraq, our corporate MEDIA would actually cover Protest Marches in our OWN country?
It is so ironic, that American TV News gives extensive, positive, sympathetic coverage to the Buddhist Monks protesting in Myanmar, yet virtually IGNORES & blacks out coverage of ANTI-WAR Protests before the Iraq War started, when we had hundreds of thousands of people marching in the streets of many, many American cities. Since the Iraq War has turned into a bloody, endless horrorific nightmare for our Troops & the Iraqi people, any Protests or Marches aimed at ENDING the Iraq War, are either NOT covered; or, are covered dismissively & negatively by all the “mainstream” Media, as “Left Wing Liberals”.
At the same time, American Media continues to treat the Right Wing pro-war “Wingnut” crowd, including the people who don’t even believe in Evolution, with great courtesy, covering the tiniest little protest (like the Terry Schiavo craziness) with extensive, positively fawning coverage!
The Pastor of President George W. Bush’s United Methodist Church in Texas, is on record as being AGAINST the Iraq War. Yet, we never hear the Media mention this fact, nor do we see this Minister or any OTHER of the many Church Ministers, joining in Protest Marches or Rallies, like the brave Buddhist Monks in Burma.
I think America’s corporate Media & it’s leaders love “Democracy” as long as it is practiced in some OTHER country, not our own.
“If elections could ever really change anything, they would be illegal.” — Donald Sutherland’s character, Thorne, in “The Land of the Blind” movie.