Ongoing actions in support of Burma…

Events across the FWBO continue to be held to draw attention to the situation in Burma and build support for peaceful change there.

In Birmingham, around 70 people from the Birmingham Buddhist Centre – and others from Birmingham’s Inter-Faith Network - walked in a silent ‘yatra’ from the Town Hall along the main shopping street on a crowded Sunday. They gave out several hundred leaflets, explaining the situation in Burma and suggesting actions people could take in support of the Burmese people.

In Edinburgh, a group led by Kalyanavaca, the Centre’s Chairwoman, meditated in the City Centre, and gave out leaflets passing on Aung San Suu Kyi’s famous request to “use your liberty to promote ours”.

In Delhi, Maitriveer Nagarjun, an Indian Order Member, who is one of the core team for TBMSG’s Dhammakranti Project, helped organised a large public meeting at the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University where he is a post-graduate student. This was attended by Burmese survivors of the last military crackdown in Burma, and a signature campaign was organised calling on the Indian Government (one of Burma’s chief supporters) to cease investment until democracy and human rights have been restored to Burma.

In Poona, India, the Jambudvipa Trust, an FWBO/TBMSG ‘outreach’ project is contributing to discussions with the aim of organising a visit to Burma by senior Buddhist peacemakers.

Finally, Dayaratna, in Cambridge UK, would like to hear from anyone wanting to continue to support Burma, specifically by putting pressure on China, via the 2008 Olympics, to change its ‘hands-off’ policy towards the regime in Burma. Contact him if you would like to be part of this.

As Cait, organiser of the Birmingham Yatra, said, “We cannot know the outcome of our actions, but we hope that we have helped to keep the issue alive in the minds of those who saw us.”

Death of Maha Ghosananda

The Guardian Newspaper recently published an obituary written by Vishvapani for Maha Ghosananda the Cambodian Buddhist leader and peace activist.

He was a leading figure in the revival of Buddhism in Cambodia following the period of the Khmer Rouge killing fields. Vishvapani comments, 'I approached The Guardian about writing obituaries of Buddhist figures just before Maha Ghosananda died. I knew a little about his work and his reputation as a very saintly and compassionate man, but I was moved to learn more in writing this piece. He deserves to be as well known as figures like Thich Nhat Hanh, but he never taught in the West and wasn't a writer.'

Maha Ghosananda was also the spiritual head of the International Network of Engaged Buddhists

Vishvapani's article on Dr Ambedkar and recent dalit conversions to Buddhism is published in the most recent issue of Tricycle magazine. An article on Buddhism in Tamil Nadu will be in the next issue. He will be broadcasting on BBC Radio 4's Thought for the Day on Wednesday 11 April at 07.45, and will be doing three more broadcasts on 2, 9 and 16 June.