This scene of a destroyed house welcome us to Pyapon.
The crowd at the community centre during the relief handing over ceremony.
Showing posts with label Myanmar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Myanmar. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Images of Pyapon
Following are some photos taken at Pyapon
This scene of a destroyed house welcome us to Pyapon.
The crowd at the community centre during the relief handing over ceremony.
This scene of a destroyed house welcome us to Pyapon. The crowd at the community centre during the relief handing over ceremony.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
On site at Pyapon 2
Reaching Pyapon was a challenge indeed. We need to past through four army checkpoints, travelling on pot holes roads and riding on a bus which tested our endurance!
Well, the truth is - it seems no local bus operators are keen to take us on the trip to Pyapon. It's just not worth it. The risk of damage to the bus is very high due to the roads condition and the cost to repair can be higher than the rental itself.
We left the Naga Buddhist Temple at Mingalardon township where the nearby international airport is situated at about 12noon. About three hours later, I heard a loud cranking sound and the the bus driver pull the bus to the side. The bus assistant went below the bus body to check. Then he took some wrenches to make some minor repairs and we were on the move again in about 10 minutes. But the air-conditioner went bonkers and we decided to enjoy the rural fresh air instead by keeping the windows opened.
At about 3.30pm, I heard a louder knocking sound and this time the bus engine just went dead. Luckily the bus was travelling at low speed due to the road conditions.I got a hunch this time it won't be a short loo break! Everybody disembarked from the bus to have some fresh air and a view of green fields on both side of the road.
After trying to repair the engine, the bus driver decided to ask for help from passing tractors to give the bus a jump start. It didn't materialized as the tractors were not in position to "push" the bus. So the male passengers decided to contribute their energy.
Huff and puff!, Huff and Puff! the guys pushes the bus. The bus moves few metres but the engine did not jump starts. We know that we will be late for the handing over event since the first bus that fetched the monks already on the way before us.
Some of the passengers, including the media people jumped into a van that accompanies us and they moved on towards Pyapon. Chin Long, the YMM president and myself wouldn't want to miss the handing over event but it is still about an hour drive to Pyapon. No way we can reach there by foot, in time!
The local guide might have sense our disappointment. She waved a local vehicle to a stop which is actually a pick up truck turned into a passenger vehicle. She asked if the truck is going our direction. Yes, we are in luck as it is going to the same event as us!
So there we goes squeezing ourselves onto the truck. There were already five passengers at the back and two in the driver's compartment. Another nine of us jumped in to the back and it cramped like sardines and Chin Long had to sit on the platform of the truck. Another local guide sat with the driver and his assistant.
It took us an hour of "sardined" ride before we finally reached the community centre in Pyapon at about 5.05pm local time. The ceremony just began after a video show on the cyclone Nargis disaster and the call for support towards rehabilitation of the victims.
After some chanting of the sutras the presentation of donations were done by the Myanmar Minister of Religion to the monks. The usual group photography session follows and the Minister took a quick exit.
We left at 6.05pm on the same bus which was repaired with the assistance of some local mechanical support. While crossing an overhead bridge only then we notice the make shift medical tents that the local authorities did not inform or shows us.
While on the way out from Pyapon town we saw the people waiting at the road side for food and donations. We did not notice any of this on the way in to Pyapon because we tooked a different route.
At about 10.00pm we arrived at the outskirts of Yangon and were asked to change bus. Our bus was unable to go into the city due to some problems with the front lights. We reached the city centre at 10.30pm to have our dinner.
By 11.15pm local time we were already at the hotel to have our rest. The local organiser already pre checked in our room. Chin Long and myself already on the move for 18 hours since 5.00am Thailand time (Myanmar time is half hour later than Thailand) We had tooked a plane, a bus and a truck to finish our task for the day.
Well, the truth is - it seems no local bus operators are keen to take us on the trip to Pyapon. It's just not worth it. The risk of damage to the bus is very high due to the roads condition and the cost to repair can be higher than the rental itself.
We left the Naga Buddhist Temple at Mingalardon township where the nearby international airport is situated at about 12noon. About three hours later, I heard a loud cranking sound and the the bus driver pull the bus to the side. The bus assistant went below the bus body to check. Then he took some wrenches to make some minor repairs and we were on the move again in about 10 minutes. But the air-conditioner went bonkers and we decided to enjoy the rural fresh air instead by keeping the windows opened.
At about 3.30pm, I heard a louder knocking sound and this time the bus engine just went dead. Luckily the bus was travelling at low speed due to the road conditions.I got a hunch this time it won't be a short loo break! Everybody disembarked from the bus to have some fresh air and a view of green fields on both side of the road.
After trying to repair the engine, the bus driver decided to ask for help from passing tractors to give the bus a jump start. It didn't materialized as the tractors were not in position to "push" the bus. So the male passengers decided to contribute their energy.
Huff and puff!, Huff and Puff! the guys pushes the bus. The bus moves few metres but the engine did not jump starts. We know that we will be late for the handing over event since the first bus that fetched the monks already on the way before us.
Some of the passengers, including the media people jumped into a van that accompanies us and they moved on towards Pyapon. Chin Long, the YMM president and myself wouldn't want to miss the handing over event but it is still about an hour drive to Pyapon. No way we can reach there by foot, in time!
The local guide might have sense our disappointment. She waved a local vehicle to a stop which is actually a pick up truck turned into a passenger vehicle. She asked if the truck is going our direction. Yes, we are in luck as it is going to the same event as us!
So there we goes squeezing ourselves onto the truck. There were already five passengers at the back and two in the driver's compartment. Another nine of us jumped in to the back and it cramped like sardines and Chin Long had to sit on the platform of the truck. Another local guide sat with the driver and his assistant.
It took us an hour of "sardined" ride before we finally reached the community centre in Pyapon at about 5.05pm local time. The ceremony just began after a video show on the cyclone Nargis disaster and the call for support towards rehabilitation of the victims.
After some chanting of the sutras the presentation of donations were done by the Myanmar Minister of Religion to the monks. The usual group photography session follows and the Minister took a quick exit.
We left at 6.05pm on the same bus which was repaired with the assistance of some local mechanical support. While crossing an overhead bridge only then we notice the make shift medical tents that the local authorities did not inform or shows us.
While on the way out from Pyapon town we saw the people waiting at the road side for food and donations. We did not notice any of this on the way in to Pyapon because we tooked a different route.
At about 10.00pm we arrived at the outskirts of Yangon and were asked to change bus. Our bus was unable to go into the city due to some problems with the front lights. We reached the city centre at 10.30pm to have our dinner.
By 11.15pm local time we were already at the hotel to have our rest. The local organiser already pre checked in our room. Chin Long and myself already on the move for 18 hours since 5.00am Thailand time (Myanmar time is half hour later than Thailand) We had tooked a plane, a bus and a truck to finish our task for the day.
Monday, June 9, 2008
On site at Pyapon
The kids and adults were at both side of the village road. Some clothed, some were on bared back. All of them were slim or even skiny. Their faces shows desperation, sun burned and tired. They were waiting for handouts from passing vehicles....
It was dusk, about 6.30pm and the scene was along the road few kilometres from Pyapon, a town about 75km from Yangon. As nightfall creeps in, I can only see dimly light of small lamp in filmsy thatched huts. I was looking out from the bus travelling back to the city after joining a Buddhist delegation from Thailand to deliver reliefs to the affected people and monks in the Pyapon district.
If it was during a better time, I would have enjoyed the laid back scenery of paddy fields; water buffaloes grazing the grass; ducks swimming on the river and even swines roaming free on the farmer's land. But how can I?
I smelled of an odour which the local guide told us was the results of many dead victims of the Nargis cyclone. The bodies in that area already been cleared but low level of rotting smell is still prevalent.
Those on the roadside were having high hopes that each passing vehicle will offer them whatever food or drinking water the occupants had. All of us cleared whatever pack of biscuits we had in our backpack and the snack pack given to us for our four and a half hours journey back to Yangon. Some even hand out the "kyat" currency in their possessions....
Along the roads we can see small attap thatched huts built by the victims whose houses were washed away by the cyclone. Some of the huts are still surrounded by swampy waters. Thinking that the area was recently surrounded with dead bodies, what choice do they have but to keep on surviving!
These observations were possible after I was invited by my Thai Buddhist friends to participate in the handing over of reliefs to the monks and cyclone victims in the Pyapon district. On top of that, it was intended to study and evaluate the possible future programs to help the cyclone victims. Since it will be beneficial to widen the scope of support, I asked the president of Young Malaysians Movement, Ng Chin Long to join in this delegation. YMM, a chinese-based youth organisations had responded positively to the call to help the cyclone victims.
Both of us travelled to Bangkok one day earlier on June 3 to join the Thai delegation early flight to Yangon the next day. The Thai delegation was led by the Rector of the Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University, Most Venerable Dhammakosajarn. Members of the delegation includes the secretary general of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, Phallop Thaiarry, president of World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth, Anurut Vongvanij and Maechee Sansanee of the Sathian Dhammasathan.
The handing over of the relief supplies was held at community centre in Pyapon the same day we landed at the airport. Present to received the supplies was the chief monk of Pyapon district and other senior Myanmar monks. Also in attendance was Myanmar's Minister for Religion and local officials. The Minister was asked to offer these donations as dana to the monks, meaning that the relief supplies will be taken care by the monks and will be distributed to 278 temples throughout the Pyapon district.
The relief supplies includes 10,000 pieces of robes, rice, biscuits, drinks, cooking utensils, water filter machines and others. The donations were worth about 7 million Baht and was publicly announced and registered in front of the monks, officials overseas delegation and members of the media from Thailand and Myanmar.
Even though we were not brought to the main disaster area like Bogalay, being in Pyapon itself is already a breakthrough. Many relief groups were only allowed to hand over the donations in and around Yangon or even at the airport itself, without even going into disaster areas. To reach Pyapon we had to undergo at least four sentry checks by the army and travelled on some roads (if I can called it as one) that have huge pot holes and it is much more like riding a horse than sitting on a bus. That's why a normal journey of 75km that's takes only less than an hour say in Malaysia, took us about 4 and 1/2 hours to reach Pyapon. That's a total of 9 hours ride to hand over the stuffs that lasted one hour.
Anyhow, we were able to reach Pyapon is due to the early arrangement by the Ven. Dhammakosajarn with a local Myanmar contact in Yangon who oversees the cyclone rehabilitation efforts for Pyapon district.
This hand over is only a beginning. There still much to be done for the cyclone victims. One of the early response will be establishing a system to support about 400Nargis orphans whom will be housed at the Naga Buddhist Temple, nearby the international airport.
I think once the main disaster areas had been cleared of major signs of destruction, more relief teams will be able to go deeper into the Irrawady Delta to help the victims. Then, more work will be required to help the people.
It was dusk, about 6.30pm and the scene was along the road few kilometres from Pyapon, a town about 75km from Yangon. As nightfall creeps in, I can only see dimly light of small lamp in filmsy thatched huts. I was looking out from the bus travelling back to the city after joining a Buddhist delegation from Thailand to deliver reliefs to the affected people and monks in the Pyapon district.
If it was during a better time, I would have enjoyed the laid back scenery of paddy fields; water buffaloes grazing the grass; ducks swimming on the river and even swines roaming free on the farmer's land. But how can I?
I smelled of an odour which the local guide told us was the results of many dead victims of the Nargis cyclone. The bodies in that area already been cleared but low level of rotting smell is still prevalent.
Those on the roadside were having high hopes that each passing vehicle will offer them whatever food or drinking water the occupants had. All of us cleared whatever pack of biscuits we had in our backpack and the snack pack given to us for our four and a half hours journey back to Yangon. Some even hand out the "kyat" currency in their possessions....
Along the roads we can see small attap thatched huts built by the victims whose houses were washed away by the cyclone. Some of the huts are still surrounded by swampy waters. Thinking that the area was recently surrounded with dead bodies, what choice do they have but to keep on surviving!
These observations were possible after I was invited by my Thai Buddhist friends to participate in the handing over of reliefs to the monks and cyclone victims in the Pyapon district. On top of that, it was intended to study and evaluate the possible future programs to help the cyclone victims. Since it will be beneficial to widen the scope of support, I asked the president of Young Malaysians Movement, Ng Chin Long to join in this delegation. YMM, a chinese-based youth organisations had responded positively to the call to help the cyclone victims.
Both of us travelled to Bangkok one day earlier on June 3 to join the Thai delegation early flight to Yangon the next day. The Thai delegation was led by the Rector of the Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University, Most Venerable Dhammakosajarn. Members of the delegation includes the secretary general of the World Fellowship of Buddhists, Phallop Thaiarry, president of World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth, Anurut Vongvanij and Maechee Sansanee of the Sathian Dhammasathan.
The handing over of the relief supplies was held at community centre in Pyapon the same day we landed at the airport. Present to received the supplies was the chief monk of Pyapon district and other senior Myanmar monks. Also in attendance was Myanmar's Minister for Religion and local officials. The Minister was asked to offer these donations as dana to the monks, meaning that the relief supplies will be taken care by the monks and will be distributed to 278 temples throughout the Pyapon district.
The relief supplies includes 10,000 pieces of robes, rice, biscuits, drinks, cooking utensils, water filter machines and others. The donations were worth about 7 million Baht and was publicly announced and registered in front of the monks, officials overseas delegation and members of the media from Thailand and Myanmar.
Even though we were not brought to the main disaster area like Bogalay, being in Pyapon itself is already a breakthrough. Many relief groups were only allowed to hand over the donations in and around Yangon or even at the airport itself, without even going into disaster areas. To reach Pyapon we had to undergo at least four sentry checks by the army and travelled on some roads (if I can called it as one) that have huge pot holes and it is much more like riding a horse than sitting on a bus. That's why a normal journey of 75km that's takes only less than an hour say in Malaysia, took us about 4 and 1/2 hours to reach Pyapon. That's a total of 9 hours ride to hand over the stuffs that lasted one hour.
Anyhow, we were able to reach Pyapon is due to the early arrangement by the Ven. Dhammakosajarn with a local Myanmar contact in Yangon who oversees the cyclone rehabilitation efforts for Pyapon district.
This hand over is only a beginning. There still much to be done for the cyclone victims. One of the early response will be establishing a system to support about 400Nargis orphans whom will be housed at the Naga Buddhist Temple, nearby the international airport.
I think once the main disaster areas had been cleared of major signs of destruction, more relief teams will be able to go deeper into the Irrawady Delta to help the victims. Then, more work will be required to help the people.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Myanmar Relief 3
It's already a month since Cyclone Nargis hit Myanmar.
The world community responded with relief work immediately after the disaster and the Buddhist community in Malaysia also provided the necessary support by raising funds to be channelled to various Buddhist centers in Myanmar.
The Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia raised RM 60,000 for the cyclone victims and the funds will be utilized to provide relief work in Myanmar. The vice president of BMSM, Quah Chi Boon is already in Myanmar to coordinate the relief work with the support of a local Buddhist organisation. BMSM also manage to raise RM 80,000 for the earthquake relief in Sichuan, China.
Another organisation that provides relief support via their counter part in Myanmar was the Subang Jaya Buddhist Association. SJBA raises RM 75,000 from its devotees. Resident monk Bhante Nyanaramsi will personally travel to Myanmar to deliver the contribution to the founder of the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy Sitagu Sayadaw Ashin Nyanissara in the Irrawaddy delta.
At the Sri Jayanti Buddhist Temple, Sentul Kuala Lumpur, the abbot Most Venerable B. Saranankara Maha Thera (pic, seated at the left)lead the devotees in raising funds and food for the Cyclone Nargis victims. The Most Venerable Saranankara, who is also the Chief Adikarana Nayaka Maha Thera of Malaysia was in Myanmar last week to deliver the relief assistance at a village in Myanmar last week. He is expected to travel to Myanmar again to continue relief work there.
There is still much to be done for the Cyclone Nargis victims. Continue your flow of compassion and keep on chipping in the funds for the rehabilitation work.
The world community responded with relief work immediately after the disaster and the Buddhist community in Malaysia also provided the necessary support by raising funds to be channelled to various Buddhist centers in Myanmar.
The Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia raised RM 60,000 for the cyclone victims and the funds will be utilized to provide relief work in Myanmar. The vice president of BMSM, Quah Chi Boon is already in Myanmar to coordinate the relief work with the support of a local Buddhist organisation. BMSM also manage to raise RM 80,000 for the earthquake relief in Sichuan, China.
Another organisation that provides relief support via their counter part in Myanmar was the Subang Jaya Buddhist Association. SJBA raises RM 75,000 from its devotees. Resident monk Bhante Nyanaramsi will personally travel to Myanmar to deliver the contribution to the founder of the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy Sitagu Sayadaw Ashin Nyanissara in the Irrawaddy delta.
At the Sri Jayanti Buddhist Temple, Sentul Kuala Lumpur, the abbot Most Venerable B. Saranankara Maha Thera (pic, seated at the left)lead the devotees in raising funds and food for the Cyclone Nargis victims. The Most Venerable Saranankara, who is also the Chief Adikarana Nayaka Maha Thera of Malaysia was in Myanmar last week to deliver the relief assistance at a village in Myanmar last week. He is expected to travel to Myanmar again to continue relief work there.
There is still much to be done for the Cyclone Nargis victims. Continue your flow of compassion and keep on chipping in the funds for the rehabilitation work.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Don't Forget Cyclone victims
Few days after Cyclone Nargis brought disaster and sufferings to people of Myanmar, I sms'es two political leaders from two different political parties suggesting they should use their good office to help the cyclone victims. The next day, one State government which one of the politician is an exco member announced a RM 1 million contribution to help the victims in Myanmar.
I did not received any response from the other politician who is a minister in the federal government. Few days after the sms, earthquake strikes Sichuan province in China and news with photos of destruction caused by the earthquake spread wide and far. The latter politician's party whose membership comprising those with historical and cultural link with China sprang into action to raise fund for the earthquake victims. Many people with economic interest and cultural link with China also join in the band wagon to raise funds for the Sichuan earthquake.
And the attention on victims of Cyclone Nargis was slowing down mainly due to lack of information and pictures showing the suffering of the cyclone victims compared to the earthquake victims which was widely published in local vernacular chinese newspapers.
The Myanmar junta need to take responsibilities on the increasing suffering of the cyclone victims. By virtue of stopping relief workers and international media from going into disaster areas, the actual impact of the disaster was not really been gauged and estimated. A picture speaks a thousand words and these pictures were not easily obtained in the military junta controlled state. It resulted that less people emphatised with the Myanmar victim compared to the earthquake victims.
At current state of increasing cost of living, people will still fork out some cash to help out but most will channel to the earthquake victims because seeing is believing. Pictures of school children trapped and killed in Sichuan most probably will moved a person to chip in for the earthquake fund rather than the cyclone fund as many might not be comfortable donating to Myamnar junta because they are still having strong reservation on the junta handling of the fund.
Whatever it is, please do not forsake the victims of Nargis, continue to help them. There are many channel to help them thru the NGOs who are already inside Myanmar to help the victims.
I did not received any response from the other politician who is a minister in the federal government. Few days after the sms, earthquake strikes Sichuan province in China and news with photos of destruction caused by the earthquake spread wide and far. The latter politician's party whose membership comprising those with historical and cultural link with China sprang into action to raise fund for the earthquake victims. Many people with economic interest and cultural link with China also join in the band wagon to raise funds for the Sichuan earthquake.
And the attention on victims of Cyclone Nargis was slowing down mainly due to lack of information and pictures showing the suffering of the cyclone victims compared to the earthquake victims which was widely published in local vernacular chinese newspapers.
The Myanmar junta need to take responsibilities on the increasing suffering of the cyclone victims. By virtue of stopping relief workers and international media from going into disaster areas, the actual impact of the disaster was not really been gauged and estimated. A picture speaks a thousand words and these pictures were not easily obtained in the military junta controlled state. It resulted that less people emphatised with the Myanmar victim compared to the earthquake victims.
At current state of increasing cost of living, people will still fork out some cash to help out but most will channel to the earthquake victims because seeing is believing. Pictures of school children trapped and killed in Sichuan most probably will moved a person to chip in for the earthquake fund rather than the cyclone fund as many might not be comfortable donating to Myamnar junta because they are still having strong reservation on the junta handling of the fund.
Whatever it is, please do not forsake the victims of Nargis, continue to help them. There are many channel to help them thru the NGOs who are already inside Myanmar to help the victims.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Myanmar Relief 2
The following information I received via email on organization with international links which are also collecting funds for relief work in Myanmar.
1. The Ven Sayadaw Rajinda is doing relief work in Myanmar and the Selangor Buddhist
Vipassana Meditation Society (SBVMS) is facilitating the collection
of donations for this purpose.
Payee name: Selangor Buddhist Vipassana Meditation Society
Maybank Account number: 5141 7814 1667
Kindly fax (or scan and email) the bank in slip to our Society's
Treasurer, Bro Lim Mong Seng. (h/p: 012-2131686, fax: 03-7729 0370,
email address: limongseng@yahoo.com ) Alternatively, you could send
the bank in slip to him at 143 Jalan SS 2/72, 47300 Petaling Jaya.
Kindly take note that we will only be collecting till 31st May 2008.
2. The World Fellowship of Buddhists already co-operated with the medical team and relief workers of Thai Red Cross Society and Thai Royal Army to distribute food, basic necessities, medicine and medical supplies including other additional apparatus such as electric generators thru the border of Thailand-Myanmar to help the Burmese people.
Beneficiary’s name: WFB FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
Account number: 0 0 3 – 2 – 3 0 2 6 3 - 9
Bank: Kasikorn Bank Public Company Limited
Attention: Kasikorn Bank Sukhumvit 33 (Bangkapi) Branch
Address: 1 Thai Farmers Lane,Ratburana Road,Bangkok 10140, Thailand
Swift Code: KASTTHBK
3. The Triple Gem Society is a non-profit, Buddhist, humanitarian organization that uses a spiritual message to promote world peace. Bhante Wimala, Triple Gem’s Spiritual Director, travels the world sharing his guidance and wisdom with people of all faiths. Bhante has devoted his life to helping others, and through the Triple Gem Society he is involved in many humanitarian projects throughout the world such as providing medical care, supplies, and equipment; basic shelter; schools; scholarships; and many other basic necessities that so many of us take for granted.
Those who wants to help out the relief work in Myanmar may obtain more information at http://bhantewimala.com/html/help.html
1. The Ven Sayadaw Rajinda is doing relief work in Myanmar and the Selangor Buddhist
Vipassana Meditation Society (SBVMS) is facilitating the collection
of donations for this purpose.
Payee name: Selangor Buddhist Vipassana Meditation Society
Maybank Account number: 5141 7814 1667
Kindly fax (or scan and email) the bank in slip to our Society's
Treasurer, Bro Lim Mong Seng. (h/p: 012-2131686, fax: 03-7729 0370,
email address: limongseng@yahoo.com ) Alternatively, you could send
the bank in slip to him at 143 Jalan SS 2/72, 47300 Petaling Jaya.
Kindly take note that we will only be collecting till 31st May 2008.
2. The World Fellowship of Buddhists already co-operated with the medical team and relief workers of Thai Red Cross Society and Thai Royal Army to distribute food, basic necessities, medicine and medical supplies including other additional apparatus such as electric generators thru the border of Thailand-Myanmar to help the Burmese people.
Beneficiary’s name: WFB FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE
Account number: 0 0 3 – 2 – 3 0 2 6 3 - 9
Bank: Kasikorn Bank Public Company Limited
Attention: Kasikorn Bank Sukhumvit 33 (Bangkapi) Branch
Address: 1 Thai Farmers Lane,Ratburana Road,Bangkok 10140, Thailand
Swift Code: KASTTHBK
3. The Triple Gem Society is a non-profit, Buddhist, humanitarian organization that uses a spiritual message to promote world peace. Bhante Wimala, Triple Gem’s Spiritual Director, travels the world sharing his guidance and wisdom with people of all faiths. Bhante has devoted his life to helping others, and through the Triple Gem Society he is involved in many humanitarian projects throughout the world such as providing medical care, supplies, and equipment; basic shelter; schools; scholarships; and many other basic necessities that so many of us take for granted.
Those who wants to help out the relief work in Myanmar may obtain more information at http://bhantewimala.com/html/help.html
Friday, May 9, 2008
Myanmar Relief Thru Thailand
International media has been highlighting the displeasure of western governments on the reluctance of the Myanmar military junta to allows foreign aid to enter the country to help the cyclone victims.
On the other hand, information originated from the World Fellowship of Buddhists(WFB) which is based in Thailand, stated that the Myanmar military junta allows foreign aids to go into Myanmar via Thailand. These humanitarian aids were coordinated by the Thai Red Cross Society and the Royal Thai Army.
The WFB Secretary General, Phallop Thaiarry was quoted as saying,
"the Burmese government has expressed sincere gratitude to His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s expression of concern for the people of Burma. Furthermore, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has ordered her personal secretary to check what basic necessities were in demand so that relief could be granted thru the border. The Burmese government allows that outside assistance will come through Thailand only (processed by the Royal Thai Army and Thai Red Cross Society) and Thailand will act as intermediary."
The WFB also announced the formation of a special Task Force to coordinate and provide humanitarian support and care to the cyclone Nargis victims. The WFB has already arranged aid to the Myanmarese since May 6, 2008. The relief unit was sent to distribute medicines, canned food and drinking water to those victims. Medical team were also despatched to help those who needs medical care.
WFB is seeking financial support and donation can be transmitted thru the account below.
Beneficiary’s name: The World Fellowship of Buddhists
Account number: 116-1-20131-5
Bank: Bank of Ayudhya Public Company Ltd.
Address: Sukhumvit 35 Branch
593/7-9 Sukhumvit Road, Wathana
Bangkok, Thailand
Swift Code: AYUDTHBK
On the other hand, information originated from the World Fellowship of Buddhists(WFB) which is based in Thailand, stated that the Myanmar military junta allows foreign aids to go into Myanmar via Thailand. These humanitarian aids were coordinated by the Thai Red Cross Society and the Royal Thai Army.
The WFB Secretary General, Phallop Thaiarry was quoted as saying,
"the Burmese government has expressed sincere gratitude to His Majesty the King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s expression of concern for the people of Burma. Furthermore, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has ordered her personal secretary to check what basic necessities were in demand so that relief could be granted thru the border. The Burmese government allows that outside assistance will come through Thailand only (processed by the Royal Thai Army and Thai Red Cross Society) and Thailand will act as intermediary."
The WFB also announced the formation of a special Task Force to coordinate and provide humanitarian support and care to the cyclone Nargis victims. The WFB has already arranged aid to the Myanmarese since May 6, 2008. The relief unit was sent to distribute medicines, canned food and drinking water to those victims. Medical team were also despatched to help those who needs medical care.
WFB is seeking financial support and donation can be transmitted thru the account below.
Beneficiary’s name: The World Fellowship of Buddhists
Account number: 116-1-20131-5
Bank: Bank of Ayudhya Public Company Ltd.
Address: Sukhumvit 35 Branch
593/7-9 Sukhumvit Road, Wathana
Bangkok, Thailand
Swift Code: AYUDTHBK
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
It's Time to Share
The wrath of Cyclone Nargis had brought tremendous pain, sufferings and lost to the people of Myanmar. While over here in our country, the Buddhist community are busy preparing to celebrate the Triple Sacred Day of Wesak on May 19, 2008.
During Wesak, many devotees will be visiting Buddhist temples and Dharma centres to join in the congregation for the most important occasion in the Buddhist calendar to have prayers, meditation and merit-making.
While doing all these good deeds, do remember those brothers and sisters whom had lost everything if not all due to the natural disaster that strikes Myanmar few days ago. If we still remembers the tsunami disaster in 2004, the recovery process for the victims will take a long time; economically, physically and pyschologically. Hence, the initiative to help the cyclone victims must be a long term plan.
It is usual for many aids agencies swamping in to help the victims as an immediate response after the disaster but when all the media hype and publicity drained out, these aid agencies will pull out leaving the victims to fend for themselves, without any post disaster recovery program to help them to claim back their normal life.
It is my fervent hope that some of the Buddhist centres in Malaysia will adopt certain temples or villages affected by the cyclone for at least 3 - 5 years to enable the villages/temples in Myanmar to stand on their own in the post disaster period.
In the spirit of Wesak, I like to proposed that Buddhist centres allocates certain percentage of their Wesak collection for the next three years to help these villages or temples in Myanmar.
Buddhist brethrens need to care for and support each other especially in times of need and challenges. If the Buddhists do not reach out, are we leaving it to others to reach out to the suffering victims?
During Wesak, many devotees will be visiting Buddhist temples and Dharma centres to join in the congregation for the most important occasion in the Buddhist calendar to have prayers, meditation and merit-making.
While doing all these good deeds, do remember those brothers and sisters whom had lost everything if not all due to the natural disaster that strikes Myanmar few days ago. If we still remembers the tsunami disaster in 2004, the recovery process for the victims will take a long time; economically, physically and pyschologically. Hence, the initiative to help the cyclone victims must be a long term plan.
It is usual for many aids agencies swamping in to help the victims as an immediate response after the disaster but when all the media hype and publicity drained out, these aid agencies will pull out leaving the victims to fend for themselves, without any post disaster recovery program to help them to claim back their normal life.
It is my fervent hope that some of the Buddhist centres in Malaysia will adopt certain temples or villages affected by the cyclone for at least 3 - 5 years to enable the villages/temples in Myanmar to stand on their own in the post disaster period.
In the spirit of Wesak, I like to proposed that Buddhist centres allocates certain percentage of their Wesak collection for the next three years to help these villages or temples in Myanmar.
Buddhist brethrens need to care for and support each other especially in times of need and challenges. If the Buddhists do not reach out, are we leaving it to others to reach out to the suffering victims?
Malaysian Buddhist Relief Fund for Myanmar
Public Service Message
The Malaysian Buddhist community started to response to the natural disaster in Myanmar. I was informed by Most Venerable B. Saranankara, Chief Adhikarana of Malaysia that a team will be going to Myanmar the earliest possible to survey and have a better understanding on the needs required. The Tzu Chi Buddhist Merit Malaysia will be despatching their team too.
In the meantime, the organisations below are collecting funds and some also accepting foodstuff etc to help the cyclone victims in Myanmar. Please circulate to all your contacts to support these relief efforts.
1. Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
Donation may be sent by post to Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia, 123, Jalan Berhala, 50470, Kuala Lumpur. Please make all contribution by cheque only made payable to "Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia." Please write "Myanmar" behind the cheque.
2. Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia
All cheques are to be payable to "Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia". Please indicate "Myanmar Relief Fund" at back of the cheques. You may bank in the cheques to YBAM Public Bank account: 3063802219 and send the bank in slip for our record at YBAM Secretariat, 9, Jalan SS25/24, Taman Mayang 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
3. Subang Jaya Buddhist Association
Lot PT 12593, Jalan Kewajipan, SS 13, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor D.E.
Please donate dry foodstuff (noodles, biscuits, etc), canned food, mineral water, medicine etc. at SJBA for us to send to Myanmar. Cash donation is also welcome.(Tel: 03-56315299, e-mail: sjba@streamyx.com)
4. Buddhist Maha Vihara
123, Jalan Berhala, 50470, Kuala Lumpur.
The Buddhist Maha Vihara temple has initiated the Myanmar Cyclone Relief Fund to help alleviate the suffering and provide immediate aid to the people of Myanmar.
We accept CASH DONATIONS ONLY. CHEQUES payable to 'BUDDHIST MAHA VIHARA'.
For further information please do not hesitate to contact Ms Lilani at 03-2274 1141 extn 211. (updated 9 May 2008)
5. Sri Jayanti Association, Sentul
The Siri Jayanti Association is setting up a " Myanmar Disaster Relief Centre" at the Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple, Sentul. Any persons who are keen to donate anything in kind can deliver the items to the Temple. (updated 9 May 2008)
Please take note the organisations above will have their respective arrangement to forward the funds or foodstuff, medicine etc to Myanmar. You are advised to donate directly to the temples/association and request for receipt for every donation made.
The Malaysian Buddhist community started to response to the natural disaster in Myanmar. I was informed by Most Venerable B. Saranankara, Chief Adhikarana of Malaysia that a team will be going to Myanmar the earliest possible to survey and have a better understanding on the needs required. The Tzu Chi Buddhist Merit Malaysia will be despatching their team too.
In the meantime, the organisations below are collecting funds and some also accepting foodstuff etc to help the cyclone victims in Myanmar. Please circulate to all your contacts to support these relief efforts.
1. Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia
Donation may be sent by post to Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia, 123, Jalan Berhala, 50470, Kuala Lumpur. Please make all contribution by cheque only made payable to "Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia." Please write "Myanmar" behind the cheque.
2. Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia
All cheques are to be payable to "Young Buddhist Association of Malaysia". Please indicate "Myanmar Relief Fund" at back of the cheques. You may bank in the cheques to YBAM Public Bank account: 3063802219 and send the bank in slip for our record at YBAM Secretariat, 9, Jalan SS25/24, Taman Mayang 47301 Petaling Jaya, Selangor.
3. Subang Jaya Buddhist Association
Lot PT 12593, Jalan Kewajipan, SS 13, 47500 Subang Jaya, Selangor D.E.
Please donate dry foodstuff (noodles, biscuits, etc), canned food, mineral water, medicine etc. at SJBA for us to send to Myanmar. Cash donation is also welcome.(Tel: 03-56315299, e-mail: sjba@streamyx.com)
4. Buddhist Maha Vihara
123, Jalan Berhala, 50470, Kuala Lumpur.
The Buddhist Maha Vihara temple has initiated the Myanmar Cyclone Relief Fund to help alleviate the suffering and provide immediate aid to the people of Myanmar.
We accept CASH DONATIONS ONLY. CHEQUES payable to 'BUDDHIST MAHA VIHARA'.
For further information please do not hesitate to contact Ms Lilani at 03-2274 1141 extn 211. (updated 9 May 2008)
5. Sri Jayanti Association, Sentul
The Siri Jayanti Association is setting up a " Myanmar Disaster Relief Centre" at the Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple, Sentul. Any persons who are keen to donate anything in kind can deliver the items to the Temple. (updated 9 May 2008)
Please take note the organisations above will have their respective arrangement to forward the funds or foodstuff, medicine etc to Myanmar. You are advised to donate directly to the temples/association and request for receipt for every donation made.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Cyclone Nargis Strikes Myanmar
The following is the latest news from Associated Press on the Cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar last saturday.
Myanmar cyclone death toll soars past 22,000: state radio
1 hour ago
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar state radio says the cyclone death toll has soared above 22,000 and more than 41,000 others are missing.
Up to 1 million people may be homeless after Cyclone Nargis and some villages have been almost totally eradicated, according to the World Food Program.
Cyclone Nargis tore through the country's heartland and largest city, Yangon, early Saturday.
Aid agencies reported their assessment teams had reached some areas of the largely isolated region. But they said getting in supplies and large numbers of aid workers would be difficult.
***********************************************************************************
Are we going to do something to help out the people of Myanmar? After losing their homes; food, personal effects and medicines will be scarce and outbreak of disease will be looming. Some friends in the Buddhist circles are already in the move to get going some sort of relief to help the cyclone victims.
Do whatever you can. Ask your Dharma centres to have donation drive to collect funds for the victims. Will keep you all posted once I got the necessary information on the modus operandi to sent the funds/medicine/food/etc to Myanmar.
Myanmar cyclone death toll soars past 22,000: state radio
1 hour ago
YANGON, Myanmar (AP) — Myanmar state radio says the cyclone death toll has soared above 22,000 and more than 41,000 others are missing.
Up to 1 million people may be homeless after Cyclone Nargis and some villages have been almost totally eradicated, according to the World Food Program.
Cyclone Nargis tore through the country's heartland and largest city, Yangon, early Saturday.
Aid agencies reported their assessment teams had reached some areas of the largely isolated region. But they said getting in supplies and large numbers of aid workers would be difficult.
***********************************************************************************
Are we going to do something to help out the people of Myanmar? After losing their homes; food, personal effects and medicines will be scarce and outbreak of disease will be looming. Some friends in the Buddhist circles are already in the move to get going some sort of relief to help the cyclone victims.
Do whatever you can. Ask your Dharma centres to have donation drive to collect funds for the victims. Will keep you all posted once I got the necessary information on the modus operandi to sent the funds/medicine/food/etc to Myanmar.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Politics and Sports - a New Event in Olympics?
Last September I convened a meeting of Buddhist leaders in Kuala Lumpur to discuss and respond to the situation in Myanmar. The meeting under the coordination of the Malaysian Buddhist Solidarity Group decided to submit an appeal to Government of Myanmar via their embassy in Kuala Lumpur. The appeal urged the Myanmar government to adopt the path of compassion and wisdom for a peaceful and non-violent solution to the problem in Myanmar.
What is significant on the stand of the Malaysian Buddhist Solidarity Group is that we seek the Myanmar Government to act in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha.
There was no suggestion or proposal for the boycott of the Olympics in Beijing as others had demanded due to China's influence in Myanmar. I for one will not agree to link the situation in Myanmar to the Olympics.
In recent days, the movement to link the Beijing Olympics with the riots and protest in Tibet began to gain ground. The Olympic Torch relay runs were met with protests along multiple cities route including London, Paris, San Francisco and so on. Based on press reports, more protests by pro-Tibet activists are expected in the remaining Olympic Torch relay cities. And the European Union planned to boycott the opening ceremony of the Games.
Most people would agreed to differentiate between sports and politics but when incidents like those in Tibet and Myanmar are linked to Beijing Olympics, those who took issue with China grabbed the opportunity to highlight the needs of the monks and people in Tibet and Myanmar. These actions unintentionally derailed the hopes and aspiration of the people of China whom eagerly looking forward to the largest sporting event on earth.
Recently I was asked on my response to the incidents in Tibet.
For this time around, as a Buddhist, I was very clear that I am not going to convene any meeting to response to this matter as this are to be shouldered by Buddhist-based NGO. Secondly, as in the Myanmar issue, I totally not in favour of any intention or action to drag in the Beijing Olympics.
When did the Olympics adopted a new event by the name of Politics and Sports?
The USA and his allies had boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980 in protests of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the former USSR and her Eastern Block allies revenged with boycotting of the Los Angeles Olympics four years later.
The victims at the end of the day was the sportsmen and women. They won gold medals without stiff contests and the sports enthusiasts lost out in seeing top of the line competition amongst the best competitors.
So protest if you may but please leave the Beijing Olympics aside. There is no event for Hu Jintao and H.H. Dalai Lama to compete and the only medals for grabs are for the best sportsmen and sportswomen of the world.
What is significant on the stand of the Malaysian Buddhist Solidarity Group is that we seek the Myanmar Government to act in accordance with the teachings of the Buddha.
There was no suggestion or proposal for the boycott of the Olympics in Beijing as others had demanded due to China's influence in Myanmar. I for one will not agree to link the situation in Myanmar to the Olympics.
In recent days, the movement to link the Beijing Olympics with the riots and protest in Tibet began to gain ground. The Olympic Torch relay runs were met with protests along multiple cities route including London, Paris, San Francisco and so on. Based on press reports, more protests by pro-Tibet activists are expected in the remaining Olympic Torch relay cities. And the European Union planned to boycott the opening ceremony of the Games.
Most people would agreed to differentiate between sports and politics but when incidents like those in Tibet and Myanmar are linked to Beijing Olympics, those who took issue with China grabbed the opportunity to highlight the needs of the monks and people in Tibet and Myanmar. These actions unintentionally derailed the hopes and aspiration of the people of China whom eagerly looking forward to the largest sporting event on earth.
Recently I was asked on my response to the incidents in Tibet.
For this time around, as a Buddhist, I was very clear that I am not going to convene any meeting to response to this matter as this are to be shouldered by Buddhist-based NGO. Secondly, as in the Myanmar issue, I totally not in favour of any intention or action to drag in the Beijing Olympics.
When did the Olympics adopted a new event by the name of Politics and Sports?
The USA and his allies had boycotted the Moscow Olympics in 1980 in protests of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 and the former USSR and her Eastern Block allies revenged with boycotting of the Los Angeles Olympics four years later.
The victims at the end of the day was the sportsmen and women. They won gold medals without stiff contests and the sports enthusiasts lost out in seeing top of the line competition amongst the best competitors.
So protest if you may but please leave the Beijing Olympics aside. There is no event for Hu Jintao and H.H. Dalai Lama to compete and the only medals for grabs are for the best sportsmen and sportswomen of the world.
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