Obama, Burmese Monks Call For Release Of Aung San Suu Kyi

President Obama Tuesday called for the immediate and unconditional release of Burma's Nobel laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi, who stands trial on charges of violating her house arrest by allowing an American intruder to stay in her home.

"Aung San Suu Kyi's continued detention, isolation, and show trial based on spurious charges cast serious doubt on the Burmese regime's willingness to be a responsible member of the international community," according to a statement released by the White House. "By her actions, Aung San Suu Kyi has represented profound patriotism, sacrifice, and the vision of a democratic and prosperous Burma. It is time for the Burmese government to drop all charges against Aung San Suu Kyi and unconditionally release her and her fellow political prisoners."

On a recent trip to New York City, three Burmese monks who helped lead the 2007 protests known as the Saffron Revolution also called for the immediate release of Suu Kyi.

"For Burma to gain democracy without Aung San Suu Kyi is impossible," U Pyinya Zawta told the Huffington Post through a translator.

The monks, who fled Burma (also known as Myanmar) after a government crackdown on protesters and were resettled in upstate New York as refugees, said there have been no significant protests inside Burma against the trial, but that is only because people are fearful of being arrested. Burmese have shown their solidarity with Suu Kyi by gathering outside Insein Prison, where her trial is now taking place.

"People feel very strongly about the government trying to imprison Aung San Suu Kyi. They are holding back [from protesting] because of the government repression against them," U Pyinya Zawta said.

The monks said the junta, which has ruled Burma with an iron fist for decades, arrested Suu Kyi because it wanted to "eliminate" her as a political force by cutting her off from her supporters and the global community. Suu Kyi, whose National League for Democracy party won national elections in 1990 but was never allowed to take power, is considered a hero in the country and the leader of the democracy movement.

"They are in a hurry to set up a government without Aung San Suu Kyi and entirely exclude her from the political process," U Pyinya Zawta said. Suu Kyi, if convicted, faces five years in prison. She would therefore be locked up when the country holds an election in 2010.

Despite the international attention given to Burma because of the 2007 protests, the monks said the situation in the country has only gotten worse. The recent arrest of Suu Kyi is further evidence of greater repression.

"People are very angry with the government," U Pyinya Zawta said. "There is a great deal of repression and harassment."

The government restricts any type of organized activity, he said, giving as an example the harassment of a funeral organization that helps poor families. More severe repression is also seen in the length of prison sentences given to political prisoners. In the past, political activists would receive sentences of 10-15 years. Many of the ones who participated in the September 2007 protests were sentenced to 65 years in prison.

The monks said they want Obama to join forces with the United Nations and international community to pressure the Burmese junta to free Suu Kyi. That, they said, is the first step towards helping Burma. Obama cannot do it alone, they said.

Despite the government's brutal crackdown in 2007, the imprisonment of hundreds of monks and activists, the arrest of Suu Kyi and the heightened repression in the country, the monks said their movement remains strong. It's just underground.

The religious leaders said they continue to communicate with a network of monks and lay people who are still inside Burma and who are planning for the next chance to protest and bring change to their country.

"Those people [inside Burma] will do whatever they can, using any kind of opening or opportunity," U Gawsita said. "That is what they will sit and wait for."

In many ways, the situation now is not so different from the situation before the September protests. Those marches, though they appeared to the outside world like spontaneous bursts of chaotic energy, were planned and organized for a long time in advance. The government then made a terrible "mistake" of beating up a group of monks in Rakhine State in western Burma, and the movement suddenly had an opportunity to put its planning into practice, the monks said.

Those inside are waiting for another such opportunity, they said.

And those outside, like these monks, try to help the movement from afar. Using satellite phones and an Internet connection, they keep in touch with the ones on the inside and help them organize.

"Unless we carry on the movement then there is no future for Burma, so we take risks and carry on the movement," U Pyinya Zawta said.

For more information about these monks, please contact their organization, All Burma Monks' Alliance, via U Pyinya Zawta at [e-mail].

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Comments

[Jonahson]

Pt2 Buddhist monks should not wear the Buddha’s robes and get involved with politics. You cannot overcome hatred with hatred, you can only overcome hatred with loving kindness. If they want to make changes then it should be from within. Taking a lesson from King Asoka. He was once known as Cruel Asoka. His father the King had send Asoka to the North to conquer and also to suppress rebellious states. The King then died, and Asoka’s siblings began to fight each other for the throne. Although on a military campaign Asoka received news of the passing of the king and also about the infighting. He returned immediately and slaughtered all his siblings and their family then claiming the throne for himself. However one of his brother’s wife managed to escape. She was pregnant but escaped in the jungle exhausted. A hermit found her and took her in. She gave birth to a son, when her son became older the hermit send him to a Buddhist Temple where he became a monk. One day King Asoka was feeling lonely and seeing a serene looking young monk walking by decided to invite him to his palace.

[Jonahson]

This is supposed to be Pt.1 Sorry for the error.

[Jonahson]

Pt2 The monk answered questions posted by Asoka. After hearing the Buddha Dharma there was a great awaken in Asoka, he wanted to know more about the Dharma and the monk told him to seek out an elderly monk at such a such temple. The young monk then revealed that he was in fact his nephew. It must have been a shock to Asoka.

That fateful moment with the young monk had change Asoka completely not only did he discouraged killing, he was the first person to build animal shelters. Asoka was then known as Dharma Asoka.During his reign all religions in the land was treated with respect and people lived in peace(refer to the Edicts of Asoka.) Reflect on this story, if instead monks came demonstrating in front of Asoka’s palace and he found out that the leader to be his nephew what would have been the consequences?

[Khirad]

This has always been the irony for me: would Buddhism have spread as far as it did without "chanda" Ashoka conquered Kalinga (thus Lanka) or Chandragupta's conquests before he became Jain? (if you're interested there's a Bollywood movie on the story of Ashoka)

I humbly admit I don't fully understand the argument. I guess it depends on your definition of sangha and its interpretation in your particular Buddhist path. If you hold compassion for those in the Junta and mindfully organize to speak Truth, what harm is done?

I get your point, tone does matter, I just don't think it requires one to become an anchorite. Although, I must admit my own ignorance, the social justice front is where Buddhism has always lost me and why I have an easier time with Hindu thought.

[Jonahson]

Buddhism and Hinduism share a common ground on karma. It is about cause and effect it is not about labeling a person good or bad. When you label a person in your mind on how you perceive a person that label will stick to your mind for a long time maybe even to the next life. But that person may change in this lifetime or maybe in the next. Our perception wil not.
Asoka, before he took up the the Buddha Dharma, was really a cruel person nothing in modern time has comparison except Polpot. Every person have done good deeds as well,as bad deeds through many lifetimes. It is the awakening of these potential good deeds that will cause a change of heart in a person. If monks protests, even according to the practice of Ahimsa, untowards incident will happen like in the last protest where there were deaths. It is difficult to control the crowd of lay people and half baked monks. You will also lose the trust of the Junta and the monks lose the opportunity to awaken the latent good karma of those people.Change must come within and by that paricular person only. One can lead a cow to the water but not force it to drink. Timing is important, when a person is ready to change then the teacher must be there.

[Jonahson]

China is a proud country. They have Taoism and Confucianism to fulfill their moral and spiritual need. They are also a wise race. They didn't bring any other religion to their country except Buddhism. When the early Indian Masters introduced the Buddha Dharma to China much of the real practice was lost later. But monks like Hsuang Tsang and Fashien risked life and limbs to travel to India to obtain Sutras. Buddhism was embraced by ancient China, the Buddha Dharma was never forced to them by conquer or deceit. From China it spread to Korea and Japan. Emigrant Chinese are the first to built Buddhist temple wherever they settled overseas. Early Chinese emigrants arrive in foreign countries with nothing much but they always carry in their heart Confucianism and Buddhism.

I am ignorant about Hindu practice but am interested to learn more. May I ask you how do Northern Hindu deities differ from Southern deities? Is Brahmanism part of Hinduism? Appreciate your reply

[msjimmied]

How many statements have been issued? Then the world moves on and she sits in her prison alone for another decade. There needs to be a sustained effort to secure her release, from every country around the world. The pressure needs to be constant. It has gone on far too long. We who are free and have the power also have the onus on us to do what we must. I would love to see the administration does everything they can and have other countries join in the effort. The Junta in Myanmar is quite a piece of work, remember their behavior after the cyclone that hit their country? They wouldn't even allow relief supplies to get to their people!

[cupcake65]

I don't understand why the release of one poet should be of interest to the U.S., yet the freedom of the people of Myanmar (Burma) seems not to be so important. This reminds me of the U.S. standing idly by while millions were slaughtered in Cambodia by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge.

[DAWK]

my heart goes-out to all burmese who wish for democracy: the solution to peace belongs in china's hands,as north korea is now 'flaunting' china,with insane leaders,via the nuke-show of force. north korea will be demolished,if this continues,and 'ill' knows it. 'ill' will be crushed; just look at south korea,they are a democracy and succesful,as a democracy,not like north korea,where life is miserable,and so goes burma- tebet .dictaters will eventually fail.leaders of china,you must react to burma and korea with compassion,or YOU will be overthrown by the 'people' exactly like other revolutions in china,but this time a democracy revolution . china's economic engine,via democracy holds the solution,if they want to prosper,and prosper-th­ey-do,,whe­re individuals are becoming powerful from their earnings.thats called,in most countries 'democracy',and china leaders are no longer able to stop the economic landslide of hard working ,motivated free people,earning large sums of money.
these 'hunta' burma leaders will-fall-­fail,becau­se china is now a semi democracy,where an individual can succeed,which is why democracy will eventually overwhelm china's leaders,as china enters the world economy.

[NelsonBig]

Wow. And people here are going nuts when they lose their houses and have to move into an apartment. Quite humbling.

[All in All]

The junta should take a look around, they could release & even allow Aung San Suu Kyi to be elected into power, and still the junta would be fine (if not better off altogether); look at America as a example, the same people have been in power for decades.

Trust Me, it's better then what junta is doing.

[sheilaofmiami]

Another repressive and ancient style of governance, that is designed to keep the power with the powerful.

History is full of this. The species is still growing out of being more instinctive than rational.

[rockyersocksoff]

Burma sux.

Let the Lady go.

[hotbytes]

If Obama really wants to free Aung San Suu Kyi, he should be pressuring China.

[NelsonBig]

My thoughts exactly.

[hotbytes]

If the junta, which is backed by China, ki lls Aung San Suu Kyi, it will be the end of this dic.tatorship. And China will lose its strong ally in SE Asia. So far, the dic.tatorship in Burma has been an arm of China expanding power - the power of bar.barism and bru.tality.

If the world want to stop the ty.ranny and the op.pression against the democracy, we must tar.get and pressure China to stop its support to the Burmese dic.tatorship.

In fact, without China, North Korea would not be able to behave like a rott.en id!ot today.

[cupcake65]

Great idea. Any clue or plan on how to do that?

[hotbytes]

If the junta, which is backed by China, ki lls Aung San Suu Kyi, it will be the end of this dictatorship. And China will lose its strong ally in SE Asia. So far, the dictatorship in Burma has been an arm of China expanding power - the power of bar.barism and bru.tality.

If the world want to stop the tyranny and the oppression against the democracy, we must target and pressure China to stop its support to the Burmese dictatorship.

In fact, without China, North Korea would not be able to behave like a rott.en id!ot today.

[Tommy Tischler]

Very sad for America didn't attendant about terrible in Burma. Media doesn't care about Burma. I'm so happy that Obama still care about forgotten Burma.

[SmolderingRuin]

This was a great article, by far the best thing I've read on Huffpo in a long time. Thanks for interviewing the monks. I hope you will stay in touch with them. Since they keep in touch with monks in Burma, they are a great source of continuing information.

[peace4burma]

I'm glad that President Obama called for the immediate and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi, who has sacrificed so much for her country and its people. Someone just commented that President Bush didn't even know her. That is totally untrue...both former President Bush and Mrs. Bush are strong supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi. Mrs. Laura Bush was the strongest supporter of Aung San Suu Kyi and Mrs. Bush long to meet Ms. Suu Kyi in person one day. For Burmese people, Mr & Mrs. Bush are considered as the most speical president and first lady of the US. I'm very proud of our former president and current president in this matter.