Myanmar Monks attending a U.N. briefing about violence in their country want more action taken against the military

The Associated Press
Friday, October 5, 2007

UNITED NATIONS: A dozen monks from Myanmar sat in the front row of the Security Council visitors gallery on Friday listening to a U.N. envoy who just returned from their military-ruled country — and one of their spokesmen said they were not happy because they want action, not talk.

"Every single day they attack the monks and they kill people who are against them. Every single day, every single minute, every single hour, so there's no time for doing like this," Ashin Kay Matethara, 29, said of the speeches in the U.N. Security Council.

During the open meeting, the U.N. special envoy to Myanmar, Ibrahim Gambari, reported on his four-day trip to Myanmar following the government's crackdown on peaceful pro-democracy demonstrators and Buddhist monks. He criticized the government's violent repression of the protesters and expressed serious concern about disturbing reports of continuing nighttime raids in which people were beaten, arrested or disappeared.

Gambari announced a return trip to Myanmar in November, but Matethara, who has a slight frame, shaved head and was wrapped in a brick-red colored robe, said the trip would be too late.

"There's no time for talk. They need to do something to make sure our government stops," he said, speaking also for two other monks awaiting their friends in the lobby of U.N. headquarters after the council meeting.

Ashin Khaymarsara, chairmonk of the All Burma Young Monks' Union, and Ashin Vimala, a member, stood by Matethara, hands hidden behind their robes. As Matethara spoke of the attacks on monks and people in Myanmar, they nodded with frowns.

Matethara said he was not happy with the outcome of Friday's meeting where the United States was the only country to propose U.N. sanctions if the government does not move quickly toward national reconciliation and democracy — and China strongly opposed any punitive measures.

"They don't do enough. They need to do more with stronger reaction and not send only one envoy," he said.

More people need to negotiate with Myanmar's military ruler, Senior Gen. Than Shwe, and to press for the release of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and any other political prisoners, Matethara said.

"They break up monasteries in Burma. They catch monks and they put them in jail. Maybe they die right away because they are beaten by knives. They even broke Buddha's statue," he said of Myanmar's military.

The Myanmar monks and others hoping for the violence to end have been holding daily demonstrations outside U.N. headquarters for the past week. He said they would also demonstrate Friday afternoon outside the Chinese Embassy.

"China is the most important for our country's situation, because they support our military government a lot because of business," Matethara said. "I believe the Chinese government doesn't want to see our country democratic because they want to control our country."

China's U.N. Ambassador Wang Guangya said Friday that it was understandable for the outside world to express concern for the situation in Myanmar, but that too much pressure on the government, including sanctions, may inhibit dialogue.

Matethara said that he and hundreds of other Myanmar monks will be praying Saturday at a pagoda in New Jersey for peace in their country.