The very existence of monastic life is being destroyed by Burma’s military regime. The twin brutalities of the September crackdown of peaceful protestors and the slow response to Cyclone Nargis will stand as great stains on the souls of Burma’s self-appointed regime.

Since Burma’s democratic uprising in 1988, our country has seen increasing violations of human rights. Relentless ethnic cleansing has included mass killings, torture, and the rape of ethnic minority women. More than three thousand villages have been destroyed across the country. This is indeed terrible suffering. Everyday, more people join the millions of refugees and migrants who have fled to the borders of India, Bangladesh and Thailand.

The majority of Burmese people throughout our country are suffering terribly with problems such as poverty, starvation, ill health and ignorance – a direct result of the military junta’s unjust policies, discrimination, and indifference to the welfare of our people. The crises and challenges we are facing are the results of repressive rule in Burma.

Inside Burma, there is no freedom of speech, assembly, or movement. To break the the junta’s pervasive rules, could result in arrest or worse. Facing these challenges, our people have devoted their lives for freedom and democracy. As monks, we never advocate violence, and we will continue to use only peaceful means to promote democracy and human rights in Burma. Nonetheless, with such conditions of tragedy, Burma will continue to be a cruel crucible for its peoples unless the international community takes appropriate action against the military regime.