Oct 23, 2007 / 09:15 am
A Buddhist monk denounced the Myanmar military junta's violent suppression of protesters and called for prayers for freedom and peace at an interreligious gathering in Naples this past weekend.
Venerable Uttara became a monk twenty years ago in Myanmar but fled to Britain in 1992. He said he did this to avoid capture by the military, since they were searching for him for his role in the 1988 protests also led by monks. He is now head of a Buddhist temple in London.
UCA News reported that Venerable Uttara spoke at the “Religions and Men” meeting organized by the Catholic lay community of Saint Egidio in Naples. "I am here to pray with all of you for the freedom and peace of the whole world." He spoke with care for his fellow Myanmar monks, many of whom have been detained after massive peaceful protests against the ruling military dictatorship
"Many are dead; many were seriously injured; many live in hiding and in terror; and I want to pray for their salvation and so that they can return to a normal life as soon as possible in the near future," he said.