Burma news

I'm fortunate to live in an area with a Burmese Theravada Buddhist Vihara. The monks and the Burmese community have contributed greatly to my (and my family's) spiritual development and understanding of the world.

Even before I came in contact with people from Burma, I was aware of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. My introduction to her election and subsequent imprisonment came via the film "Beyond Rangoon". While it was certainly a Hollywood creation, it piqued my curiosity.

Having spent time with Burmese people and learning of the deep roots of the Buddha's teachings in their society, I can say that it is particularly tragic that they would be subjected to military rule (and that they were very vulnerable to it as well).

Last year, Burmese monks staged peaceful protests of the military government. They were subsequently brutalized and in some cases murdered.

The U.S. State Department is now reviewing America's options for more effectively bringing about change in Burma. As this article explains, this is an issue with no readily apparent solution:

When Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton announced recently that the United States was reviewing its policy of sanctions against Burma's government, it marked the final recognition of a global failure to modify the behavior of one of the world's most repressive regimes.

"Clearly, the path we have taken in imposing sanctions hasn't influenced the Burmese junta," Clinton said during a visit to Asia in February. "Reaching out and trying to engage them hasn't worked, either."

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has written several books about Burma, her situation and meditation. Here's an excerpt from an interview she conducted. She's still under house arrest nineteen years after being democratically elected the leader of Burma.