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PRESS RELEASE: EMBASSY OF THE UNION (r)



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

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At one time, Burma in fact was a model for religious freedom and racial
tolerance. But since Ne Win and his gang (mostly of Chinese descent) implemented
BSPP and the Maha Bamar System it has moved to the opposite end. When you are a
dictatorship without any concern for the will of the people how can you be a
model for anything.

Richard Aung Myint

Mg Myanmar wrote:

> ?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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