Dear His Holiness Dalai Lama,
We, Burmese Buddhist Monks,
are very sad to read your recent comments about wrongly condemning fellow
peaceful Burmese Buddhist Monks who stood firmly together with Tibetan
Buddhists in fighting against the injustice in Tibet land.
(Reference: Dharamsala, HP, India, 22 April 2013, comment to an
audience at the University of Maryland, 7 May 2013.)
We think you are misled by some people / groups and one sided
media reports based on fabricated propaganda of extremists and opportunists.
You were absolutely correct in mentioning about what Buddha taught
us about forgiveness, tolerance, compassion.We, as human beings regardless of
race & religion, must denounce any kinds of violence, and promote peaceful
solution for any conflicts.
Burma is a most diverse multi ethnic country in Asia with 135
indigenous ethnic groups. Historically Burma is a tolerant country with
different faith groups live peacefully side by side with mutual respect. Over
2,000 years old historic Sule Pagoda, over century old Christian Church&
Mosque are existing side by side in middle of downtown Rangoon (Burma’s largest
city) alongside with Rangoon City Hall. A Hindu Temple is also standing near
these historic religious buildings in downtown Rangoon.
Recent senseless communal violence in Burma was incited by the
enemies of democratic reform process, opportunists and extremists (domestic and
abroad). We denounce all kinds of violence and encourage building the mutual
trust and peaceful society.
Both Muslims and Buddhists communities suffered casualties and
property damages during senseless violence.
Last year, violence in Western Burma started with a Buddhist girl
was gang raped& killed by a group of Bengali Muslim men.The Independent
Investigation Commission (consists of human right activists, lawyers,
historians and religious leaders including Islam, Christian, Hindu and
Buddhist) reported that total 347 were killed and 411 were injured as reported
by both sides. 60% of causalities were Muslims and 40% were Buddhists. Over
7,700 houses were destroyed (similar ratio as causalities). Furthermore, 24 Buddhist
Monasteries and 32 Mosques were destroyed by mobs in Western Burma.
Latest violence in Central Burma town of Meikthila started with an
argument at Gold Shop owner & seller and physical assault to Burmese
Buddhist couple by Bengali Muslim owners & staff; later fuelled by a brutal
killing of a Buddhist Monk by Muslim mob inside a mosque.
Please note that although Buddhist monks were among victims of the
violence in central & western Burma, none of Muslim religious leaders were
hurt during communal violence. I am forwarding a few photos from recent
incidents for your info and consideration.
In fact, leading Burmese Buddhist monks including so called
anti-Muslim monk U Withura and local Burmese Buddhist residents protected
Muslims, they even rescued several hundred Muslims trapped by armed mobs. They
brought rescued Muslims to safety and providing the food & water until
today. Some Muslims were even provided shelters at the Buddhist Monasteries.
Buddhist Monks are providing food and other assistance to latest Muslim victims
in Okkan (near Rangoon); some were sheltered in a Buddhist monastery and
protected by Buddhist monks.
Indigenous Buddhists ethnic people are living in the Western Burma
for thousands of years, unfortunately many were victims at their own home land
by invading Bengali Muslims (similar to Tibetan Buddhists and Chinese
Communists in Tibet land). Now, Bengali Muslims so called Rohingya represents
95% of the population in Western Burma townships (border with Bangladesh); native
Buddhists are now less than 5% of the total population.
We found that your comments
against Burmese Buddhist Monks are incorrect, unfair and unjust. We are very
sad and painful to read those incorrect news and comments especially from the
His Holiness.
We respectfully would like
to request you to withdraw your comments on denouncing the Burmese Buddhist
Monks.
Please feel free to contact me if you require additional
information.
Respectfully,
Ven. Ashin Kawwida
President, International Burmese Monks Organization (Canada), Past
Vice President of the International Burmese Monks Organization head quarter in
New York
Email: ukwd2004@yahoo.ca
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The Dalai Lama has called for Buddhist monks to stop spearheading the anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar. Speaking from Dharamsala, his exiled base in northern India, in an exclusive interview with ABC News, the Tibetan spiritual leader condemned the violence and called for the radical monks to practice forgiveness, tolerance and compassion.
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Following was what that Muslim Media Mizzima reported of Dalai Lama's condemnation of Buddhist Burmese Monks.
The Dalai Lama has called for Buddhist monks to stop spearheading the anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar. Speaking from Dharamsala, his exiled base in northern India, in an exclusive interview with ABC News, the Tibetan spiritual leader condemned the violence and called for the radical monks to practice forgiveness, tolerance and compassion.
“It's very sad,” the Dalai Lama said. “All the major religions teach us the practice of love, compassion and forgiveness. So a genuine practitioner among these different religious traditions would not indulge in such violence and bullying of other people.”
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(Who gives a stuff about that
old Dalai Lama. He belongs not to real Buddhists like us Burmese. He is a pseudo-Buddhist
still pretending to be a smiling Buddhist king of old Tibet.)