Burmese monks share stories of repression

Burmese monks share stories of repression
By: Emmeline Zhao
Issue date: 2/26/09 Section: News
Last update: 2/26/09 at 5:10 AM EST


http://media.www.dukechronicle.com/media/storage/paper884/news/2009/02/26/News/Burmese.Monks.Share.Stories.Of.Repression-3650156-page2.shtml
http://www.zmag.org/znet/viewArticle/20418
The three monks asked Duke students to "stretch out their hands" and help Burmese students escape oppression in their country. They have been exiled from Burma and now reside in a monastery in a refugee community in Utica, N.Y.

U Pyinya Zawta stood at the front of one crowd, megaphone in hand, as a human chain marched alongside the monks to shield them from armed forces.

Protesters trudged on, arms overhead, clapping and chanting for peace and democracy, Yee said. The hazy image of teargas that would be all too familiar to the monks filled the screen.

"The Burmese people don't have human rights. They probably don't even know what human rights are," U Gawasita said. "I want to help them get them and learn what they are."

U Gawasita told the story of four female Burmese students who wrote blog posts about their efforts in the revolution. The government caught wind of the posts and imprisoned the girls for 65 to 100 years for speaking out against it, he said.

"The junta lied to the people and to the world. They do not care for the deaths of thousands of people," U Gawasita said. "They do anything for power. The junta destroyed the lives of the youth and the young people."

U Tejavanta said he decided to help lead the Saffron Revolution to look after his people because the government is "autocratic and selfish," adding that he wishes his students in Burma had the same freedom and privilege as Duke students.

Amid military blockades and gunfire, the monks still had hopes of bringing democracy to Burma, speaking of signature campaigns to rally aid from the United Nations.

"When a United Nations ambassador came to Burma for the seventh time, he just listened to the military government and looked around," U Pyinya Zawta said. "His report to the United Nations could not show the true light of Burma so the people of Burma still could not escape. That is why we ask for help with the signature campaign."

Despite violent reaction from the government, U Pyinya Zawta said monks were able to respond peacefully by following the ethical teachings of Buddha-parts of a movement Tager said Duke should support.

"During the revolution in 2007, the statue of James Duke was draped with saffron robes of monks. We wanted to continue that same level of commitment and awareness," he said. "The people of Burma need the help of everyone in all nations. I hope that as Dukies we can take on our portion-more than our portion-of responsibility toward them."