Monks forced to avoid politics
Buddhist monks in Mon State are being forced to sign an agreement stating they are not to get involved in any politics
Buddhist monks in Mon State are being forced to sign an agreement
stating they are not to get involved in any politics, a measure being taken
following the ambush attack over supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi by the pro-government
groups in upper Burma.
According to an abbot from the capital city of Mon State, the State Peace and Development Council authorities have approached all monasteries forcing the monks to sign a paper prepared by the authorities stating formally that they are not to get involved in any political activities and are to remain peacefully in their temples.
Talking over the phone from Moulmein, the Mon monk Rev. Sumana said, “following this order on June 24, the local authorities started to visit every monastery in all cities telling our monks to sign the document promising not to get involved in politics”.
The Thai-Burma border based Independent Mon News Agency reported that Mon State authorities recently ordered all village headmen and the Sangha Association to inform the monks in all monasteries about the agreement paper. The village headmen in rural areas were informing monks of the document, following the orders from the SPDC authorities.
The source said that even though the civilians are denied media access from the government about the incident, which occurred in De-Pe-Yin, the people are aware, upset and angry with the junta.
“The SPDC junta is scared of a further uprising, so they will prevent by any means possible and use all their resources to control civil society”, said a retired member of New Mon State Party from Three Pagodas Pass border.
As in all of Burma, Buddhist monks play a major role in society as they do in Mon State; Mon monks educate the civilians and are actively involved in politics and the social affairs of the community, an ancient practice that dates back almost two thousand years.
According to an abbot from the capital city of Mon State, the State Peace and Development Council authorities have approached all monasteries forcing the monks to sign a paper prepared by the authorities stating formally that they are not to get involved in any political activities and are to remain peacefully in their temples.
Talking over the phone from Moulmein, the Mon monk Rev. Sumana said, “following this order on June 24, the local authorities started to visit every monastery in all cities telling our monks to sign the document promising not to get involved in politics”.
The Thai-Burma border based Independent Mon News Agency reported that Mon State authorities recently ordered all village headmen and the Sangha Association to inform the monks in all monasteries about the agreement paper. The village headmen in rural areas were informing monks of the document, following the orders from the SPDC authorities.
The source said that even though the civilians are denied media access from the government about the incident, which occurred in De-Pe-Yin, the people are aware, upset and angry with the junta.
“The SPDC junta is scared of a further uprising, so they will prevent by any means possible and use all their resources to control civil society”, said a retired member of New Mon State Party from Three Pagodas Pass border.
As in all of Burma, Buddhist monks play a major role in society as they do in Mon State; Mon monks educate the civilians and are actively involved in politics and the social affairs of the community, an ancient practice that dates back almost two thousand years.
