Monk ignores order to leave monastery
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Monk Penang Sayadaw, also known as Pannavamsa, vows to fight on with the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee over the ownership of a monastery in Tamwe Township.
The 47-member committee ordered him and his members to leave the monastery by the end of this month. At a press conference on March 25, the monk said the decision was not right. He also said the committee was resorting to power to evict men of religion.
“They [committee] are using force to drive us out of the Mahar Thandi Thukha monastery by issuing orders under Section 20/30 and Section 20/29. That’s why we must explain the committee’s warning so that all laypersons are aware of it. We will never, ever leave the monastery,” said the Penang Sayadaw at the press conference.
Some activists said they would give support to the monk through protests across the country.
Penang Sayadaw has been fighting for the ownership of the monastery, claiming that the property was confiscated by the military government in 2004 and put under the control of the State Sangha Committee.
The monk on February 27 sent a letter to the President’s Office, explaining his case, but there has been no response on how to solve the dispute.
