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PRESS RELEASE: EMBASSY OF THE UNION



Subject: PRESS RELEASE: EMBASSY OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR, USA

?i SOURCE?F
Information  SheetNo.B-1076 (I)  21st September,1999
MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE?AYANGON ?j


EMBASSY OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR
2300  S STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 20008-4089
TEL; (202) 332 9044    FAX: (202)  332 9046

13/99   20 September 1999

Press Release

U.S. Crictism of Lack of Religious Freedom in Myanmar Unwarranted

Myanmar May Be Regarded As a Model Society With Regard to Religious
Tolerance

The 1999 Annual Report on International Religious Freedom issued by the
United States Department of State is inaccurate and misleading. If the
section on Myanmar is any indication of the quality of research and analysis
that went into the preparation of the report, it cannot be considered a
serious piece of research. It is subjective and can in no way be regarded a
reliable basis for evaluating religious freedom in Myanmar or elsewhere
around the globe.

The report on Myanmar is glaringly inconsistent. While it acknowledges
that "most adherents of all religions duly registered with the authorities
generally enjoyed freedom to worship as they chose," it attempts to dilute
this by stating that the government systematically restricts efforts by
Buddhist clergy to promote human rights and political freedom, and that
government authorities in some ethnic minority areas forcibly promote
Buddhism over other religions. Nothing can be further from the truth. Anyone
with a rudimentary knowledge of Buddhism and Myanmar culture should know
first and foremost that Myanmar Buddhists are not concerned with zealous
missionary work. They are more concerned with trying to gain ultimate
release
from dukkha  (suffering):
impermanence, imperfection and unsatisfactoriness. Throughout his or her
life, every devout Buddhist exerts efforts to gain kusala  (merit) by
observing sila  (following the precepts of the Buddha), does as much
charitable work ( dana )  as he or she can, and spend as much time as
possible at the meditation retreat( bhavana) . Buddhists will therefore
happily contribute to charity, contribute to building pagodas, monasteries,
rest houses (zayats) and pay for lavish religious festivals. They do not
seek
remuneration for what they regard as acts of merit. The researchers'
lack of understanding of Buddhist culture and beliefs is apparent when they
claim that government  officials and security forces compel persons,
especially in rural areas, to contribute money, food, or uncompensated
labour
to state-sponsored projects to build, renovate, or maintain Buddhist
religious shrines or monuments. The fact is that Myanmars are a deeply
religious people and do not need to be coaxed into contributing labour. They
willingly donate money and labour to gain kusala  in order to eventually
attain Nirvana, the state of supreme bliss, free of all attachment and
rebirth. No words can adequately describe the joy and ecstasy felt by
Buddhists when they earn kusala . To the uninitiated, it may seem
farfetched that people would contribute labour without seeking
remuneration, but the majority of Myanmar do so nonetheless.

Any disinterested person who has spent time in Myanmar can attest to the
tolerant nature of the people of Myanmar. In every city, town or village it
is not uncommon to see places of worship of different religions co-existing
with one another. While Buddhists make up more that 80 % of the population,
there are Christians, Muslems, Hindus and Animists. In regard to mutual
understanding among practitioners of different religions, Myanmar can
justifiably be regarded as a model society. The team of Father R. W . Timm
(U.S. Christian Priest) and Justice K.M. Subhan from Bangladesh who visited
Myanmar in January 1998 had this to say about the remote area they visited;
" There is marked religious and ethnic harmony which makes it possible
for all religious and ethnic groups to live and work freely together."

Myanmar shares the view that everyone has the right to pursue one's faith
without interference. At the same time it feel that everyone also has a
responsibility to foster a better social order both at home and abroad.
Under
the circumstances, it does not believe  that any report on religious freedom
that lacks objectivity can contribute to peace and harmony among nations. If
religion is to be a transnational vehicle of conflict prevention and post
conflict reconciliation and not a tool of division, those who would assume
the role of leaders need to be more sensitive to the traditions and cultures
of other people.
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