Category: Current

Current Issues & News on Burma & Burmese people with the sub sections – News, Feature, Interview, Photo-News, Op-Ed and so on

Burmese Public encouraged after U Win Tin released

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Burmese Public encouraged after U Win Tin released

Nyunt Htwe

September, 29th 2008

All walks of life in Rangoon were excited and cheerful when they heard the news of U Win Tin’s release. Burmese general public were consumed themselves struggling for their day to day survival under the ruling of regime so much that they had lost their interest in looking out for political news and events. However soon after the news of U Win Tin’s release spread across Rangoon and beyond, they were found themselves in high spirits of his release.

“I am just happy to hear the news. I cannot tell in detail why. I have not met him before. But it seems to me like my father being freed from prison. The whole county will also be encouraged …” said one high school student.

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Burmese in Singapore marked One Year Anniversary of Saffron Revolution event

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Burmese in Singapore marked One Year Anniversary of Saffron Revolution event

Ko Paw

September, 29th 2008

          On September 27, Singapore time, Burmese activists staying in Singapore marked one year anniversary of Saffron Revolution at Tha Di Burmese Buddhist Monastery by donating swan (meal), robes and fund to the residing and guest monks. It was attended with 25 Burmese where the number of interested persons greatly reduced comparing with one year ago.

          At night, they offered free cold drinks to the monastery-goers at Burmese Buddhist Temple, a land mark and gathering place for Burmese Buddhists in Singapore. Later they offered red roses and candle lights at the alter and shrine areas of the monastery.

          Singapore is regarded as one of the ally to Burmese military junta and the government had recently refused visa extension to Burmese activists working legally in Singapore. Although Singapore authority were showing their discontent with Burmese people who would like to raise awareness of Burmese struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma, the activists and their families were still organizing more event to step up the pressure on the junta.

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Burmese residents in Los Angeles became monks to honor one year anniversary of Saffron Revolution

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From Burma Saffron Revolution – 1 year – Monkhood in LA Burmese residents in Los Angeles became monks to honor one year anniversary of Saffron Revolution MoeMaKa – Photo News September 27th 2008           Eight Burmese residing in California became…

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U Win Tin attended 20th anniversary of NLD

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U Win Tin attended 20th anniversary of NLD, Burmese opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi after his release Photo News September, 27th 2008            U Win Tin and some other former political prisoners recently released from prisons after…

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San Franciscan & Burmese community remember Saffron Revolution one year later

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From Saffron Revolution Remembered – One Year Later – SF

San Franciscan & Burmese community remember Saffron Revolution one year later

 MoeMaKa – Photo News

September 27, 2008

          On 26th September, at the late afternoon, Union square, downtown of San Francisco, about a hundred people gather to commemorate one year anniversary of Burma’s Saffron Revolution. It was attended with 3 Burmese monks from the bay area and also from various interested communities and associations. After the guest speakers, Burmese youth and students performed Burmese traditional music and poem recital written by Aung Way who is now in exile after the 2007 crackdown. Two songs sung by Burmese artist in exile, Mar Mar Aye and one song published by local Burmese artists inside Burma back in 2007 Saffron Revolution were played as background music at the event.

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Yawning Bread – Singapore shows Burmese dissidents the door

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Led by Singapore’s George Yeo, Asean foreign ministers last September “expressed their revulsion to Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win over reports that the demonstrations in Myanmar [were] being suppressed by violent force”, and called on the military junta there to “work towards a peaceful transition to democracy.”

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had spoken “to his ASEAN counterparts… and [would] be writing to Senior General Than Shwe,” the joint Asean statement said [1]. During that period, Singapore was the rotating chair of Asean, and people thought this unusually strong statement was a hopeful sign of where Singapore stood. But was this government, always so boastful of its “integrity”, being sincere?

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Burmese Ethnics in Oakland, bay area held memorial service

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Burmese Ethnics in Oakland, bay area held memorial service for

8888 – 20 years anniversary of Burmese democracy uprising

MoeMaKa

August 9, 2008

The event was held at “Dhamm Ayeyeik” Burmese Buddhist monastery. It was organized by Burmese community resettled from the Thai-Burma border area to this Oakland city. The “swan”, Burmese traditional lunch was prepared by volunteer Burmese families and “Mohingar”, Burmese traditional food similar to “fish chowder” was served to the attending guests.

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Conversation with Sayadaw U Kovida

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from Spring 2008 Turning Wheel

Conversation with Sayadaw U Kovida

 

by Maia Duerr and Hozan Alan Senauke

 

  

Sayadaw U Kovida is a highly respected senior monk who was born in Burma 81 years ago. Although he now lives in exile in New York, he was once the patron of Ma Soe Yein monastery, one of the oldest Buddhist schools in Burma.

  In 2001, Sayadaw visited the U.S. and stayed at the Sasana Joti Center, a New York monastery. Every year he went back to Burma, but since September 2007, he has not been able to return. Sayadaw is now the patron of Sasana Moli – the International Burmese Monks Organization – founded in October 2007. Sasana Moli (which translates to “crown jewel of the monastic community”) is an alliance of more than 50 monks from the U.S., the U.K., Singapore, Canada, and Malaysia.

  On December 15, 2007, BPF staff members Alan Senauke and Maia Duerr had the honor of a private audience with Sayadaw at the Mettananda Vihara in Fremont, California. The day before, Sayadaw was awarded an honorary degree from the University of San Francisco on behalf of all Buddhist monks in Burma. We met on the second floor of the vihara, with several members of the Burmese community joining us. Sayadaw welcomed us with a bow and a warm smile, and sat in a chair near the altar of the Buddha beautifully decorated with food offerings. Maung Yit served as our translator.

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