Monks’ Boycott Looms as Regime Withholds Apology

Buddhist monks in Burma have stepped up their protests against the military authorities and warned of their intention to hold “patam nikkujjana kamma”—meaning a refusal to accept alms from members of the military regime and their families or to attend religious ceremonies held by them.

Monks in central Burma were reported on Monday to have organized a peaceful march as part of the “patam nikkujjana kamma” boycott campaign. It remains to be seen how monks and the Sangha community in Rangoon, Pegu and Mandalay will react to this campaign.

Eight offences are listed as reasons for holding “patam nikkujjana kamma.” These include vilifying or making insidious comparisons between monks, inciting dissension among monks, defaming Buddha and Dhamma and the Sangha.

In 1990, the Burmese Sangha community decided to boycott the regime led by then chairman Snr-Gen Saw Maung. The monks and abbots in Mandalay decided to hold “patam nikkujjana kamma” after regime forces killed, arrested and disrobed several monks in 1988 and in the following years.

Some senior monks belonging to the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee were also involved in the boycott campaign, which was initially underestimated by the military authorities.

In one incident, the Mandalay Division commander at that time, Tun Kyi, who later became trade minister, invited senior monks and abbots to attend a religious ceremony but no one showed up. Military leaders realized the seriousness of the Sangha boycott, and later decided to launch a fierce counter-campaign.

On 20 October 1990, the regime issued Order 6/90, dissolving “illegal” monk organizations and unions. The next day, Order 7/90 was issued, declaring that any monk or novice who contravened regulations banning non-religious activities would be disassociated from the Sangha and would be prosecuted.

The following day, the military crackdown began. In Mandalay alone, more than 130 monasteries were raided and monks were disrobed and imprisoned. As many as 300 monks nationwide were forced to disrobe and were arrested.

Former political prisoners recalled that monks who shared prison quarters with them continued to practice their faith despite being forced to wear prison uniforms and being officially stripped of their membership of the Sangha.

Several monks, including the highly respected Thu Mingala, a Buddhist literature laureate, and at least eight other respected senior abbots, were arrested. Thu Mingala was sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment.

Apart from being stripped of their robes, imprisoned monks in Mandalay were forced to wear white prison uniforms and were taunted with nicknames instead of being addressed with their true titles, according to former political prisoners.

Now, the regime and the authorities seem to be unprepared to deal with a repeat of “patam nikkujjana kamma.” It also remains to be seen how the Sangha boycott campaign gains in momentum.

The monks could decide to call off the “patam nikkujjana kamma” campaign, if they receive what they accept as a proper apology for offending action by individuals or the authorities. This would involve a ceremony hold by at least four monks inside the Buddhist ordination hall, at which the boycott would be canceled.

Some monks in Burma may believe that the “patam nikkujjana kamma” of 1990 is still in effect, since they haven't yet received any proper apology—only a harsh crackdown.

Last week, officials including industry minister Aung Thaung, who was allegedly behind the thuggish campaign against activists, visited some temples in Rangoon and offered alms and gifts to monks and abbots considered to be close to the military or at least neutral in the present standoff.

If independently-minded monks decide now to go ahead with “patam nikkujjana kamma,” it will take more than alms and gifts to head off their action.