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Testimony Speechs by Dr. Ashin Nayaka, Leading Member of International Burmese
Monks Organization and Visiting Professor at Columbia University, New York
The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Public
Hearing
"After the Saffron Revolution: Religion, Repression, and the U.S. Policy
Options for Burma"
Rayburn House Office Building 2200
December 3, 2007, 2:30-4:30 PM
Testimony of Ven. Ashin Nayaka, Leading Member of International Burmese Monks
Organization and Visiting Professor at Columbia University
an2201@columbia.edu
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Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to speak before the U.S. Commission
on International Religious Freedom. I am a Burmese Buddhist monk, a visiting
professor at Columbia University in New York. I came here to be the voice of my
fellow monks and be the voice of the people of Burma, who have long been denied
all freedoms, including religious freedom, under one of the most repressive
regimes in the world.
People all over the world have witnessed the terrible and wicked system of
dictatorship imposed upon us. Through the help of international media, the world
was able to see the brutality. The military regime has killed peaceful
demonstrators. They have killed monks, who are highly respected by the people,
as Buddhism is major religion in Burma. They have emptied monasteries, which are
not only places of worship and religious functions, but also for education,
maintenance of culture, and caring for HIV/AIDS patients and orphans, duties
which the regime has neglected. Burma's military regime have forcibly disrobed
monks, beaten them, and assaulted them very badly.
They have committed crimes against humanity and these recent brutalities will
stand as a great tragedy in our long history of monastic Buddhism. This wicked
regime committed these atrocities in full view of the world. They are shameless,
seeking only to systematically oppress us for decades to come.
We are all deeply concerned about the fate of fellow monks, including U Gambira
who led the recent protest in Burma, as well as all political prisoners. I hope
that international governments and the United Nations pressure the military
regime to immediately grant the ICRC access to these detainees and release them
immediately.
What I wish to say is: the spiritual authority of Burma resides in the Dhamma
(Teachings of Buddha). The Dhamma in Burma is both protected and practiced
primarily in the minds and hearts of the monks and nuns in our country. Of
course, the lay people practice Dhamma too. But the symbol of hope in our
society is the Sanghas (the order of monastic).
The religious order of monks has been the face of Burma since Buddhism was
introduced into the nation over a thousand years ago, and its influence can be
seen everywhere, from the hillsides dotted with pagodas, the monks in their
saffron yellow robes, and the monasteries in almost every village that shape the
character of the villagers and their institutions. At present the Sangha is the
enemy of the regime. If this continues unaddressed, further bloody confrontation
is unavoidable. Our spiritual obligation is to freedom, not to silence or
submission.
Today, we know that several leading monks in Burma are still on the run. We do
not know with any accuracy how many monks have been killed, how many were
forcibly disrobed. We do not know how many are in prison. We do not know how
many monks have been taken to secret locations. There is a terrible secrecy and
silence over Burma.
We are at a critical moment in history. What we do know is that a number of
prominent monasteries have been closed. Others emptied. Serious questions
remain: where have all the monks gone? Where has the global outcry gone? This
should be of grave concern for all governments worldwide. Strong, effective and
timely intervention by the international community is urgently needed. This is a
moral crisis that Americans must stand for.
The Saffron Revolution is not a power struggle, but a conflict between peace and
moral freedom on one side and the forces of political repression on the other.
Participation in this spiritual protest is justifiable in Buddhism. The
religious policy of the Saffron Revolution, this Buddhist revolution of the
conscience, continues to be one of peace. Throughout the Burmese history when
the country was in crisis or when the people faced emergency, the spiritual
leaders played a significant role in creating and maintaining peace and
stability in society. But monks today are facing great challenges.
The very existence of monastic life is being destroyed by the evil military
regime and it will face bloodshed again, if the international community,
including UN Security Council, cannot find a collective and effective way to
stop this evil regime from killings and arrests. As long as the UN Security
Council could not make the regime to engage in a meaningful and time-bound
dialogue with democratic opposition, led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, for peaceful
transition to democracy, the spiritual revolution of monks and people will
continue and another brutal crack down will be unavoidable.
The light of the Dhamma is our guide in this profound expression of spiritual
revolution that inspires the hearts of millions around the world. The light of
your dignity and your commitment to freedom is our source of strength. Since the
non-violent approach is our way, we have concluded that we will remain peaceful
under all circumstances. We firmly believe that our commitment to the Dhamma
will defeat these unjust rulers in Burma.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to the freedom in our country and the
freedom in our own hearts. All these things Americans value and cherish. Freedom
for the people of Burma cannot be denied. The cost of that freedom is the only
question.
Finally, I would like to thank President Bush and First Lady, the United States
Congress and the American people for their support in our struggle and also I
would like to ask President Bush to make Burma his legacy of freedom.
Thank you.
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Testimony Speech at the Japanese senate by Dr. Ashin Nayaka, Leading Member
of International Burmese Monks Organization and Visiting Professor at Columbia
University, New York
Tokyo, Japan, December 12, 2008, 11: am-1: pm
an2201@columbia.edu
First of all, I have the honor to express my gratitude for such an
opportunity to let me sound the voice of the people of Burma including the order
of Burmese Buddhist monks that I myself belong to, on the dissolution of even
the fundamental human rights such as "The Right of Living, the Right of Abode,
and the Freedom of Faith in our homeland. As you may know, the present military
junta in Burma is one of the most ruthless regimes in the world that has
brutally cracked down all the democracy and human rights movements for more than
four decades. At present, while I am giving this talk to you here, thousands of
Burmese activists including the Buddhist monks are under severe torture in the
interrogation camps and prisons of the country. I am a Buddhist monk from Burma,
currently teaching as a Visiting Professor at Columbia University in New York
City and also one of the active members of The International Burmese Monks'
Organization that is advocating for development of Peace, Freedom and Legitimate
Governance in Burma.
The last few months have witnessed all the inhuman atrocities committed by the
Burmese Army. Hundreds of Buddhist monks who were just praying for "The Peace in
the Country" were gunned down on the streets of Rangoon Downtown and in some
major cities. Now this is the time we should be convinced that the widespread
international media coverage could do nothing to stop their brutal policy of
arresting, harassing and throwing the peaceful protesters into the jails and the
notorious interrogation camps. As our democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi says,
Burmese people are continuously living in the Age of Fear and Terror. I might
add another word, "Diaspora."
The world has recognized all these misdeeds as the "Crimes against Humanity."
Just only the sympathy is not enough. We all know that. We, 55 Million Burmese,
are seriously awaiting what the International Community help us stop this
military regime abandon their ruthless policy. The bloodstained exotic resorts
and splendid historical sites are no more giving any pleasure but unpleasant
feeling for the recent bloodshed in our beautiful country.
We have lost potential monastic life under the brutal military regime. We can
even call it the threat to the survival of Buddhism in Burma. Many monasteries
have been emptied. Hundreds of monks are running amuck, many are hiding, and a
number of them have been missing. We don't know how many monks have been killed
and how many are in the prisons. The Buddhist world has been gravely concerned
about them. Many monks are reported to be defrocked. If the situation remains
unchanged, we can be sure that there will be bloodshed again in the near future.
The emergence of "The Spiritual and Glorious Revolution" in last September 2007
has shown a significant uprising against the brutal and illegitimate rule of the
junta. The Buddhist monks, turning their bagging bowls upside down, bring the
meaning of their refusal to accept the alms from the ruthless rulers and their
servants for their earnings are unlawful and bloodstained. It has been a
tradition since the time of Lord Buddha to admonish some people who are behaving
against "Dhamma" (The Law).
Furthermore, the ethnic cleansing, mass killings, torture and rape of the women
of the ethnic minorities across the country led to the disappearance of more
than three thousand villages in the country. Millions refugees fled the country.
Millions are under the tyranny one of the largest armies in the world. I am a
native of western Burma, where Rakhine, historically known as Arakanese, have
inhabited for centuries. Our ethnic group also faced all these oppressions,
especially the Policy of Myanmarization. On the other hand, in the helpless
condition we are unable to resist an ethnic pressure from the west and the
northwestern part of our country has been overrun by the alien immigrants since
the colonial days.
Immediately we have to consider about the monks who are fleeing away to
neighboring Thailand, India and Bangladesh. Some are reported to have died on
the way in the jungles. In such condition of tragedy, Burma will continue to be
a crucible for its native people if the international community does not take an
appropriate action against the military regime.
The crises and challenges we are facing are the results of totalitarian rule in
Burma. Though of these challenges, our people have devoted their lives for
freedom and democracy. With our faith in "Dharma," making "Dhamma" as our way,
taking refuge in "Dhamma," we believe that the victory is on our side. However,
as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi says, we are well prepared for the worst.
Your government's commitment to human rights and democracy has been and will
always be the hope for great change for our country into a prosperous and free
society. What we hope besides that is the restraints on your financial and
technical assistance to Burma. Those who will enjoy all the fruits are not the
people but these generals. We also want to request other governments not to
support the regime. Your financial assistance will strengthen the iron grip of
the junta. These generals after the September incidents implemented more rigid
laws that brought the worst human right-abuses. Our another request to you is to
persuade as well as put pressure on them to stop their brutal act and not to
stand against the people. Most immediate action to put on the junta is to allow
the ICRC investigation of the condition of the Buddhist monks in Burma.
The change in the policy of a leading country of Asia on Burma's cause will be
recorded as a historical development of the peoples of two countries. Last but
not the least I would like to say that we are the friends. We Burmese have
proved that we could forget all the agonies in the past. What we are looking
forward is The Coming of Japan, bringing Hope, Peace, Freedom and Assistance to
the development of the lives of our people as the real friend of Burmese people.
Thank you.