Thursday, September 27, 2007

A pagebreak in protest

I'm breaking the flow of my Diaries to show my disgust at whats happening in Myanmar. Peaceful demonstration by the Buddhist monks in favour of democracy is being curbed by the ruling military junta in a violent fashion. 3 monks have been killed, 100s put behind bars and now the military is storming the monastries.

Its shameful!

13 comments:

sara said...

Are you shoked because they are monks? Why are we scandalized when religious people are hurt and religious places are violated? Why is that different from any other civilian and building?

In this case, they are buddhist, therefore the greatest pacifist and not exactlty religious, so I can understand.

But please people, be shoked, whoever and wherever someone or something is in danger.

And let's start with what's happening close to you.

This morning, on my way to work, I saw an old man laying on the floor, his head in the gutter, bleeding, covered with flies. I don't know if he was still alive. He was there, inert, in a busy street, outside Lower Parel station, yet nobody reacted, nobody even looked at him.

I was advised to not call the police but it took me 2 hours to find an NGO who agreed to deal with it.

meraj said...

sara,

i understand what you are trying to say.

its never different...everytime peaceful protests / advances / requests are answered by violent reactions, i am shocked. we call ourselves a civilized society , yet situations like this keeps happening. its shameful!

and, i really appreciate what you did...

Pooja Nair said...

How can one possibly order an attack on budhist monks! their very being exudes peace and harmony...

It is inhuman to say the least!

The quest for power often sees no boundaries...

sara said...

Ok, Pooja, I agree, they see no boundary, but the one they should see is not that they are monks, it is that they are people.

Shamik said...

I dont really think its about the monks. Its more about the attack against a peaceful protest. And we being a nation that has always preached non-violence, such a thing happening to our neighbor is really shaking.

How I wish these monks were really like the ones in the "Shaolin" movies..

Anonymous said...

I have left Rediff and joined someplace else as AVP Client Servicing. Should you wish to catch up with me, do care to call me up on my mobile, else email me at : tatha@hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I have left Rediff and joined someplace else as AVP Client Servicing. Should you wish to catch up with me, do care to call me up on my mobile, else email me at : tatha@hotmail.com

Pooja Nair said...

I see what you mean sara and agree...

meraj said...

some UN official has arrived to sort out the affairs and i (with my cynicism towards the institution) wait to see the results.

Anonymous said...

when r u coming to delhi ? once u r at the guesthouse do give me a call, thanks Tathagata

phish said...

meraj and sara - i understand the kind of angst that we might be feeling. and there might be very little that we can actually do about it. but the point is we can. i am glad meraj has done something his own way and i too appreciate what your concern.

but what next? how long do we sit in coporate middle earth thnking about LCD television sets and higher tax returns?

meraj, scratch your head mate...can we?

phish said...

also ignore the typo.

meraj said...

gimme a call one of these days and we'll catch up over some Ceylon tea. in fact, ive got a tin for you too...drop in to take it.