Walking the Talk on Burma

200 miles down; 10 to go.

I just spoke with Tayza Yeelin, a young Burmese man who is walking more than 200 miles from upstate New York to the U.N. headquarters in Manhattan. Tayza and several other Burmese exiles -- all of whom fled their native land in the 1980s and 1990s due to the repressive military regime -- are part of the International Campaign for Freedom of Aung San Suu Kyi and Burma.

These wonderful individuals met up last week with a Buddhist nun named Jun San, better known to many by an honorific name given to her by the Lakota people, "Walks Far Woman," at her home at the Grafton Peace Pagoda. They left Grafton on October 13th, and have been making their way south ever since. (They are now in Fort Lee, New Jersey, after walking 21 miles today -- tomorrow they will arrive in Manhattan.)

Last night, Tayza, Jun San, and the other peace walkers were hosted by the Fellowship of Reconciliation at our national office in Nyack, New York. After walking 15 miles from Tomkins Cove, they spent the evening talking with FOR members and friends about the terrible situation in their home country. An article about their visit was published in today's edition of the Journal News, the regional newspaper.

Despite their descriptions of atrocities back in Burma -- of monks and nuns being beaten near death, of one-time student activists they knew imprisoned without charge, of people hiding in the jungle -- it was still an empowering and inspiring evening. I was especially moved by Tayza's commitment to seeking "righteousness" and Jun San's commitment to creating "heart to heart" connections.

Walks Far Woman described walking past a military site, and being followed by suspicious government agents (as if this slight religious woman would or could do damage to it!). She said, "I bow to the military people, and one guy bow to me!" We all laughed in wonder, and she said, "People are so beautiful."

Indeed -- especially people like these. I have already received news from the reporter at the Journal News that an email came to her today from Nepal in response to the article. A Buddhist nun, originally from Burma, wrote to say:

"Kindly accept my forwarded following message and let the world knows, please let the world leaders know.
Similar events in this message as the consequences were heard as the Chinese communist government's invasion in Tibet, the communist to the buddhists. Now the buddhists to the buddhists, one's own countrymen."

We must do all we can to support these courageous people, both the spiritual leaders and the ordinary civilians, who are nonviolently seeking human rights and an end to oppression in their homeland. Here are three things you can do today:

• Visit the ICFAB web site and support this important campaign.
• Join Tayza, Jun San, and their colleagues either in person -- at the U.N. headquarters in NYC -- or from afar this week as they protest and hold a three-day hunger strike. They ask you to contact U.N. and Burmese officials, hold educational forums in your home communities, and/or fast in solidarity with their hunger strike.
• Visit the web site of FOR's sister group, the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and join BPF and its partner groups in their calls for peace.

Later this week, we will share information about a developing initiative from International FOR leader Pierre Marchand to press the United Nations to intervene in Burma/ Myanmar. Please continue to check the FORpeace blog for updated news.