Burma's Buddhist monks and novices who use non-violent means to seek the protection of human beings and democratic society are being treated cruelly and as political prisoners by the military junta, according to a report released last month.
The report, Burma: A Land where Buddhist Monks are Disrobed and Detained in Dungeons by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (Burma), says monks and novices are being arrested and forcibly defrocked. They are interrogated brutally, forced into labour camps, tortured, charged with misusing religion, banned from preaching dhamma, and sometimes even murdered.
Buddhism is used by Burma's junta as an instrument to propagate the military's legitimacy and subjugate the people, the report says, whereas in fact the sangha, or community of ordained Buddhists, is seen as a threat to their dictatorship.
The sangha has long acted as the voice of conscience in Buddhist societies. Through wisdom and compassion, monks counterbalance abuses of state power so societies remain just and peaceful. There is a sharp contrast between the brutality practised by the junta and the Buddhist principles of compassion and non-violence.
Buddhist monks, together with other sectors of the Burmese community, were targeted by the military regime after the nationwide pro-democracy uprising of 1988. Approximately 600 monks were also among the thousands of people killed during the uprising itself. Monks and laypeople tried to provide protection and food to people during the riots.
Two years later, on Aug 8, 1990, more than 7,000 monks and novices were attacked while receiving alms peacefully on the streets in Mandalay as people marked the 1988 uprising, resulting in the death, injury and disappearance of several monks and laypeople.
The Monks Union of Mandalay subsequently launched an important boycott, "Overturning the Bowls", something not done for 100 years, to protest the military's actions. The monks refused to accept food, religious offerings or donations from soldiers and their families. Nor would they perform religious ceremonies for them, attend rituals or ceremonies hosted by them or have religious contact with them. This powerful and compassionate gesture was intended to send the militant rulers the message that they should regret, abandon and correct their sins.
The boycott spread right across the nation so that the military regime had to turn to monks from Thailand willing to accept their merit-making. On Oct 18, the regime demanded in vain that the monks lift their boycott and, the following day, it launched a wave of brutal retaliation against protesting monks.
All the while this was happening, the generals put on a beneficent face, offering extravagant donations to certain venerable monks and others to whom they are close as a propaganda exercise.
A second Overturning the Bowls boycott was declared in November 2003, and soon after the military intelligence invited monks from a temple in Rangoon to a ceremony where they offered them food and donations. Some novices, mostly aged 18 and 19, and a monk refused to accept the alms brought to their temple. They were arrested and defrocked while in prison. The government has since exercised tight control over the activities of monks and imposed a curfew.
Any hope for justice and legal aid for the monks is very dim. It is estimated that some 300 had been forcibly defrocked and imprisoned as of the beginning of 2004, although it is difficult to get an exact number.
The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners report describes in detail the deteriorating situation and ordeals faced by monks. The names and photographs of monks and novices now in jail are provided as well as interviews with some of them.
The fate of the monks jailed as political prisoners looks hopeless as long as the military junta refuses to accept some form of democracy and respect for human values. If things are allowed to continue without justice or public scrutiny, there is the risk Buddhism in Burma will be manipulated for political purposes, and lose its role as a path to peace and truth.
The Overturning the Bowl campaigns should have been perceived by the militant rulers who always purport to be good Buddhists as a good opportunity to abandon their ruthless treatment of their citizens and grant them some respect, purity, compassion and wisdom, which are the essence of the Buddha's teachings.
It was a chance for them to recall the story of Angulimala who, after committing a series of murders, repented and gained enlightenment.FBurma: A Land where Buddhist Monks are Disrobed and Detained in Dungeons is available at
Lapapan Supamanta is the executive secretary of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists, a network of Buddhists worldwide who endeavour to integrate spirituality with social activism. INEB members are working on issues such as human rights, ecology, peace, gender justice, education, sustainable development, alternatives to globalisation and anti-consumerism.