Bangladeshi Monks united for saffron revolution in Burma

Narinjara News
Mon 7 Jan 2008

Dhaka: A leading monk organization working on Burmese monk affairs was formed by five monks’ organizations in Bangladesh on Friday at a monastery in the Chittagong Hill Tract area in Bangladesh, said U Thiha, the spokesperson of the new organization.

He said, “All monk organizations agreed in a meeting to form an umbrella monk organization to lead Bangladeshi monks in cooperating with Burmese monks for carrying out their religious purpose in Burma.”

The meeting was held at Mazi Para monastery in Rangamati District of Bangladesh, with 42 monk delegates from five organizations in attendance.

The delegates discussed several religious issues and looked for ways to cooperate with Burmese monks to prevent their oppression by the Burmese military government.

“The relations of Bangladesh and Burmese have been very good for a long period, and we have been working together with Burmese monks for Buddhist religious affairs for many years. Now the continued existence of the monkhood in Burma is threatened. So how can we stay silent?” said U Thiha.

Many monks in Bangladesh want to work enthusiastically for Burmese monks, so the monk’s delegates formed the umbrella organization under the name of United Thinga Alliance in Bangladesh, U Thiha added.

During the meeting the delegates adopted five objectives and future plans for the formation of the alliance in order to achieve their goals.

The five member organizations in the new monk alliance are the Rakhine Thinga Association, Nyinyutye and Lonsawye Committee, Chittagong Hill Tract Thinga Council (North), Thinga Union for Buddhists, and the Thinga Nugaha Association, said spokesperson U Thiha.