23rd September 2007

The Sydney based Burmese Buddhist monks stand united with the ten thousand monks in Burma and pray for safety of the people and monks who take part in the on going peaceful protest against the military regime.

Today, the Burmese monks from four monasteries and more than a hundred Sydney based Burmese democracy supporters held a prayer rally in Auburn Botany Garden to support the demonstration in Burma.

“We stand the same with the monks in Burma and strongly support their peaceful protest against the military regime who recently responded brutally to the monks” said an anonymous monk at the prayer rally.

The protest led by monks is the largest protest against the military regime after the nationwide demonstration in 1988 and it has substantially increased after the regime's crackdown on a group of monks in Pakokku earlier this month. Some monks who took part in a peaceful protest have been cruelly tortured by the military regime.

“They were tied up at the tree, beaten, tortured and unrobed by the regime” said Mr Maung Maung Aye, an organizer of the prayer rally and Burma MP. The purpose of this event is to show our solidarity to the monks and people in Burma he said.

The monks and students are the pioneer of Burma history who have been actively involved in the protest against the colonial authority when the British ruled Burma and also during the rule of military regime since Ne Win took over power in 1962.

"Monks and people have a close connection, when people suffer the monks also suffer. Since Burma's people are suffering in poverty under the oppressive regime, the monks have difficulty for their survival as they rely on donations from the people. So the monks try to help people get rid of the military regime" said Ven. Sandathiria from Campsy monastery in Sydney.