Community of Sant'Egidio - Community of Sant'Egidio - Naples 2007 - A WORLD WITHOUT VIOLENCE

21/10/2007 - 17:30 - Teatro S.Carlo e collegamento con la Piazza Plenary Assembly
U Uttara Buddhist monk, Burma

Good morning His Holiness Benedict XVI, all Venerable Archbishops, Priests, Monks, Religious leaders and all the honourable guests .

First of all ï¿½ it is a great honour to be here attending this prestigious occasion of the 'International Meeting for Peace'.

I am here today with you all to pray for Freedom and Peace throughout this entire world including our Country (Burma), which has recently been through the horrific and traumatic crackdown by the Military dictatorship.

I would also like to pray for all those victims (monks as well as civilians) of the violent and horrific oppressions happening in Burma.

There were several of Buddhist monks, who died, who are seriously injured, who are in hiding and living in fear ï¿½ and I would like to pray for their safety and return to normal life in the foreseeable future...

Burmese monks got involved in these peaceful protests ï¿½ï¿½ to help protect Burmese people and society ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½ï¿½because it is the duty and the activated social consciousness of the Sangha ï¿½. and it's their commitment to care for welfare for the community

Due to extreme poverty, brutal repression and ugly corruption ï¿½ï¿½ Buddhist monks had come out to request ï¿½..to the regime ï¿½ï¿½.to end the intense inequality in Burma ï¿½..and they were requesting for cheaper commodities and free economy for the peopleï¿½..

During these peaceful protests, Burmese Buddhist monks marched in procession by citing Metta Sutta, spreading loving-kindness for all beings ï¿½ by hoping that their loving kindness will win through.

Instead the Military Junta brutally used heavy weapons to crackdown the peaceful protestors ï¿½ including monks, students as well as civilians.

We saw several thousands of monks during the peaceful demonstrations but we are very sad for not knowing where they are now ï¿½.

We hear that military have tortured those monks of peaceful protests during the time of the curfew (night) and the death tolls have been risen to thousands.

From the religion point of view, this is an extreme insult to the Buddhism which used to be the Nation's main religion ï¿½ because of 67% of Burmese population is Buddhist.

If they can destroy the most powerful religion of the country within days, then we fear that some other religion may never get a chance to survive in Burma under this regime.

Please help us by praying together for the end of this brutal oppression in Burma and for the safe return of those monks as well as people. and the end of the poverty, unlawful arrests, cruelty, torture and re-gain of human rights in Burma.

Thank you.. and I pray for peace for all beings.