Peaceful Spirit in September 2007

October 7, 2009

This September marks the 2nd anniversary of the Saffron Revolution, which recognizes the peaceful demonstration of Buddhist monks in 2007 and the brutal treatment they received from the ruling regime, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC). The Buddhist monks were simply demanding peace, but the regime gave them riot police and soldiers with bullets and beating.

The people of Burma have not found peaceful lives for many decades, after the leaders of the Burmese Army seized political in 1962. After 40 days of demonstrations in 1988, then the country’s power was given to a new military regime, and the military rule in Burma continues to this day. The country’s people are suffering economically due to governmental mismanagement and a general lack of individual freedoms. The majority of the Burmese people, including government servants, never enjoy mental or emotional peace.

The Buddhist monks who have daily interactions with the country’s citizens know about the struggles of the Burmese people. Many people do not have sufficient food, some of them cannot afford to pay the country’s high energy costs, and many of them are unemployed. The Burmese people support the country’s monasteries and Buddhist monks through donations, and when the people suffer from economic burdens, they cannot donate food or cash to the monks, and Burma’s monastic community suffers in turn.

The Saffron Revolution occurred when the monks asked for the peace and sympathy of the ruling government, and demanded the SPDC’s accountability and responsibility to Burma’s people. But the ruling military regime rejected these demands, and then riot police and soldiers cracked down the monk and civilian demonstrators. Many monks were killed. However, the regime could not kill peace spirit of the monks, and their support from Burma’s people. The Saffron Revolution was a peaceful revolution of the people, and they continue to remember it in their hearts.

Written by HURFOM · Filed Under Commentary