The recent disaster caused by a cyclone in Burma has once again highlighted the repressive nature of the regime: facing such circumstances, some Buddhist monks have felt justified to join violent resistance, Anna Sussman and Jonathan Jones report in the online magazine Inthefray (April 6).
The two reporters visited 67year old monk Saw Wizana, who has joined the Karen fighters, because he sees armed resistance as the only viable strategy against the military junta. He justifies his support of the armed struggle by the fact that it saves lives and that the actions of the regime do not leave other options open. However, while other monks show an understanding of the Karen struggle, most continue to consider that non-violence is the best way for Buddhist resistance.
Future nonviolent protests are being planned.
(Inthefray, http://www.inthefray.org)
