British Embassy to assist detained monk

 

One of the five monks is a British national, Sayadaw U Ottara. The embassy has been lobbying for his release. 

“This morning, the official went to the Insein prison and met with Sayadaw U Ottara. We will provide necessary assistance to him as he is a British national,” said Joseph Fisher.

The official also urged the authorities to provide the monks with adequate food and accommodation. 

Fisher added that the deputy foreign ministers from the both sides discussed on the release of the monk. 

MP Simon Hughes from Bermondsey and Old Southwark has called of the British government for an immediate response to the case.

The disputes between the State Sangha Maha Nayaka and Penang Sayardaw have been ongoing for some time over the ownership of the Maha Thandi Thukha monastery. Under the order of the Regional Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, the five monks have been charged for religious offence under Section 295 (a) 20/90 of the Penal Code at Tamwe Court. They have been disrobed.

The International Buddhist Monks Association based in the United States said that the forced eviction, disrobing and imprisonment of monks at Thandi Thukha monastery violates Buddhism. It called the forced eviction an abuse of power and urged that the dispute be resolved according to the teachings of the Lord Buddha. 

“Though there are many ways to settle the disputes, monks residing at the Maha Thandi Thukha monastery were evicted by force on the night of June 10. Five monks including the foreign missionary Sayadaw Bandata Ottara were arrested and disrobed against their will,” it said in a complaint.

It requested that the authorities release the detained monks immediately, ensure any court hearing is just and fair, and called on President Thein Sein to be dutiful in his service to the country. 

They also urged the State Sangha Maha Nayaka monks to abide by the Buddhist teaching as respected by other faiths.

On June 16, about 60 people, including members of 88 Generation and Open Society, the National League for Democracy, and devotees of the monastery went to Insein Prison but were not allowed to meet the monks.

“We didn’t get the chance to meet the monks, but our food packages were accepted,” said NLD member Yazar, adding that prison authorities denied them the opportunity to visit the monks because they were not relatives. “We don’t know if the monks are well or not,” he said.

Meanwhile, a high-ranking official from the Department of Religious Affairs told Eleven Media that Maha Thandi Thukha Monastery will continue to be placed under the ownership of Maha Sangha Nayaka Committee and will not be returned to its abbot Penang Saydaw U Pannavamsa. Khine Aung, director-general of the department of religious affairs, also said the committee would decide how to continue operating the monastery during its 47-member plenary meeting early next month.

During a press conference in March, the Penang Sayadaw said former heads of State Senior-General Than Shwe, former Lt-General Maung Aye, and former Secretary (1) Major-General Khin Nyunt donated the monastery to him on behalf of local and foreign donors on December 18, 1999.