Source: Democratic Voice of
15th October 2007
Devotees told DVB that the Thaminsar Sayadaw declined monetary donations from Thayet Town Council members and officials.
The 90-year old Abbott told the authorities that he has taken an avowal against accepting alms or any other contributions from people and organizations abetting junta. He also declined to lead them in prayers, citing sangha regulations.
Early this month, the Abbott had declared his intention to make this vow (or patta-nikkujjana in Pali) against the junta and its lackeys.
The Beginning of Patta-nikkujjana against Junta
On the 5th of September, in Pakkoku, a group of monks who were marching peacefully and chanting prayers, were beaten and detained by riot police. The police also stripped the monks of their robes. Junta declined to apologise for this atrocity, prompting the monks all over
Towards the end of September, monks led peaceful protests all across the country. Junta then initiated a brutal clampdown on the monks, and the majority were subsequently beaten and detained with many dying as a result of the beatings. Two weeks on, thousands of monks still remain in concentration camps.
However, the monks have vowed to continue with the patta-nikkujjana until military junta mends its ways.
For the original article in Burmese, please follow this link: http://burmese.dvb.no/news.php?id=2442
Note:
1. News agencies have earlier reported that many of the monks under detention were inadvertently on hunger strike as they refuse any food given to them by the guards. They were subsequently separated into smaller groups by officials.
2. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) had issued an open letter in September appealing to Buddhists worldwide to do the same. Please click here to read the letter by AHRC: http://www.ahrchk.net/pr/mainfile.php/2007mr/479/
3. At the beginning of this month, The Buddhist Channel also published a letter by a monk about patta-nikkujjana: http://www.buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=22,5070,0,0,1,0
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