More than 600 Monks March in Peaceful Demonstrations in Burma

More than 600 monks in the central and upper areas of Burma have taken part in peaceful demonstrations in preparation for refusing alms from the families of military personnel on Tuesday, September 18.

Buddhist monks make their daily rounds in Rangoon [Photo: AP]

A senior monk at Ledi Monastery in Chauk Township in Magwe Division told The Irrawaddy on Monday that about 300 monks had demonstrated peacefully in Chauk from 5:30 a.m. to around 7 a.m. that morning. The monks had marched around the city market and on to Sasana Beikman, the city’s religious hall. The monks recited “paritta sutta” (a prayer for protection from evil or harm) during the demonstration.

However, the monks in Chauk have not enforced “patam nikkujjana kamma” (refusing alms) from the military regime and its supporters as they have not yet received an official letter from the “The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks”, a senior monk said.

Meanwhile, a resident of Tharrawaddy in Pegu Division said that monks at Kyaikto Monastery in Tharrawaddy had begun refusing alms from military families since they had received a letter of authorization from “The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks”.

Rangoon residents have said that the city has been quiet, while citizens of Pegu, about 80 km north of Rangoon, claimed that security has been beefed up in the town ahead of a large demonstration expected on Tuesday.

In Sagaing Division, two army trucks carrying around 300 armed soldiers had set up a roadblock at Thayet Bin Seik, a junction for all the monasteries in Sagaing, according to an anonymous activist who spoke to The Irrawaddy on Monday. Owners of passenger buses are apparently worried that either the military or the monks might commandeer their buses if tensions rise.

September 17 was the deadline for the Burmese military government to issue an apology to the monkhood after the authorities had violently cracked down on monks in Pakokku, Magwe Division during a peaceful demonstration on September 5, according to a recent statement by the “The Alliance of All Burmese Buddhist Monks”. In its first statement the organization urged monks to refuse alms from military families and military supporters if the apology was not forthcoming. A second statement released on Saturday called for monks to begin refusing alms on Monday and called for demonstrations on Tuesday.

A senior monk at Bawdi Mandine Monastery told The Irrawaddy on Monday afternoon that the Burmese military government had yet to issue an apology to the monasteries in Pakokku. Several young monks and novices from Maha Visutarama Monastery, also known as “Ah Le Tiak”, had returned to their homes, their families worried that they would get caught up in the demonstrations.

“If about 40 and 50 young monks go home that will not affect the demonstration at Ah Le Tiak as there are more than 700 young monks and novices there,” the senior monk said, adding that his own monastery housed only 100 novices and young monks, but that they had not been allowed to go home as they would miss their lessons.

According to a senior monk at Kay Mar Thi Wun Monastery in Kyaukpadaung, a town in Mandalay Division, a peaceful demonstration was also held by more than 300 monks in Kyaukpadaung on Monday morning at 6 a.m. The group of monks had marched to Zaydi Gyi Pagoda and had been reciting “metta sutta” (the Buddha’s words on kindness), dedicated to those who are suffering and who face daily challenges making a living. Further details regarding the conclusion of the demonstrations or any military crackdowns have not yet been verified as the phone line was cut during the interview between The Irrawaddy and the senior monk.

By Monday evening, there had not been any reports of a crackdown on demonstrations by the military government.

The state-run newspaper on Monday reported that families of the Burmese military government defense services had donated rice, cooking oil, salt, medicine and cash to 15 monasteries and a nunnery in Sanchaung Township, Rangoon on Sunday. Other similar donation ceremonies were also held in Rangoon’s Thakayta and Dawbon Townships, the newspaper said.