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10 EASTERN HORIZON | FEATURES

“A drop in the great lake of what is needed”

“This grant is just a drop in the great lake of what is
needed by the Rohingyas, and even more than food
and other material requisites, what they need is a
guarantee of physical safety, restoration of their homes,
and full acceptance as citizens in Myanmar, with all the
concomitant rights,” said Bhikkhu Bodhi, who was also
one of the initial signatories to an international appeal
published last month by Lion’s Roar.

A Rohingya refugee family lives on the side of the road without shelter Addressed to the ruling council of Buddhist monastics
in Bangladesh. Photo © UNHCR/Adam Dean.
in Myanmar, the appeal has now been signed by more
than 200 Buddhist leaders and teachers throughout the
This is the fastest exodus of human beings from a single world.
country since the outbreak of the Rwandan genocide.
The vast majority are members of Myanmar’s Muslim “We are greatly disturbed by what many in the world
Rohingya, caught up in a violent conflagration that, see as slander and distortion of the Buddha’s teachings,”
according to the country’s security forces includes the appeal states. “In the Dhamma [Buddhist teachings]
official “cleansing operations.” The military said 176 there is no justification for hatred and violence. Mean-
out of 471 villages had been emptied of people, and an spirited words and direct provocation . . . stand in
additional 34 villages “partially abandoned.” stark contradiction to monastic precepts and Buddha’s
teachings on universal morality, peace, and tolerance.”
“In these critical times, we have an obligation to aid Those signing the appeal come from 16 countries so far:
those immersed in the world who live on the brink of Australia, Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Ecuador, France,
destitution and despair,” said the Venerable Bhikkhu Germany, India, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand,
Bodhi in an essay that inspired the creation of Buddhist Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom, and the
Global Relief in 2007. He is the former president of The United States.
Buddhist Publication Society in Sri Lanka and author
of numerous Buddhist translations and commentaries. They have urged the country’s Buddhist leaders to
“The special challenge facing Buddhism in our age is to take “a strong stand against hate speech and ethnic
stand up as an advocate for justice in the world, a voice cleansing” and have called on “the government and
of conscience for those victims of social, economic, and military of Myanmar, including State Counsellor Aung
political injustice who cannot stand up and speak for San Suu Kyi, to apply their full resources in support of
themselves,” he wrote. peace and for the protection of vulnerable communities
of all religions and ethnicities.”
Under his leadership, Buddhist Global Relief now
sponsors projects in 14 countries that promote hunger Among the first to become signatories were Ani Pema
relief for poor communities, including the training Chödrön, founding director of Gampo Abbey in Canada;
of women and girls in the struggle against poverty Jack Kornfield, co-founder of the Insight Meditation
and malnutrition. Though not an emergency relief Society and California’s Spirit Rock Center; Jamie
organization, Buddhist Global Relief recently supported Cresswell, President of the European Buddhist Union;
hurricane emergency relief in Houston and Puerto Rico, Rev. angel Kyodo williams, guiding teacher of the new
as well as deciding to donate towards providing food aid Dharma Community; Dhammachari Lokamitra of
for the Rohingya refugees living in camps in Bangladesh. Triratna Bauddha Mahasangha, India; Phra Paisal Visalo,
The Buddhist Global Relief donation will go to the Abbot of Wat Pasukato, Chaiyaphum, Thailand; as well
refugees through the World Food Programme. as Katie Loncke and Dawn Haney, Co-Directors of the