Ray writes -
The world has been watching as Buddhist monks took to the streets in Burma, and we have held those caught up in the military clampdown in our thoughts, meditations & prayers. We wait, we hope.
What to do? You want to do something but what will help the situation? Make it worse? Have no effect whatsoever?
Sujatin has been blogging informative news articles, whilst the Narborough community organised a vigil in Leicester.
Monday evening, we sat around the table at 118 for our shared meal prior to our pureland service. Sally noted that there had been a small demonstration that evening in front of the Town Hall. With the aid of Sally’s laptop we discovered that the Karen community within Sheffield had organised the vigil. Bhaktika went on to make a few phonecalls and some links have now been made and we will be attending next week’s vigil. We are hoping other local buddhists and faith groups will be in attendance too.
Will such a demonstration make any real difference? I don’t know, but it feels right that next monday we will stand alongside a small community of people within Sheffield who may have friends and family caught up in this tense situation so many miles away. It feels good to be making new links and friendships. It is the least one can do if one is moved by the plight of the Burmese people.
Namo Quan Shi Yin Bosat
Links
The Burma protests: What are they all about?
The Burma Campaign UK
Sheffield protest
Amnesty International
We held a vigil on Thursday of last week and are planning another. Does it make a difference? I don’t know but it did touch some peoples hearts. And the alternative is to do nothing….which doesn’t seem possible.
Namo Amida Bu
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So true
~ray