My heart has been in pain with so many acts of violence and hate around the World. Locally, I heard the story of an Ivy league 19 year old Jewish boy who was killed in January by a Christian former classmate. As a mom of a boy, I can tell you how that story felt in my heart of hearts. I read about the constant bombing in Syria, a possible war, the National Guard at the border and our President deporting 50,000 Haitians to a country that has been destroyed by hurricane and earthquakes.
I keep thinking what else can I do besides crying, praying, intending, signing petitions for justice, getting informed, helping locally the ones in need. The answer has always been, write Karla, write.
I read that when a journalist asked Aung San Suu Kyi how could she help " Suu Kyi replied " "keep a light shining on this place. Without the light, we would go back into the shadows." With that in mind, I wrote a letter to the religious leaders of our world intending to keep the light on for Burma and those suffering at this moment. The letter said:
I been following the story of Burma and the latest news demanding from Mrs. Suu Kyi to stop the genocide against the human group called Muslim.
I have read 3 books about Aung San Suu Kyi and perhaps I am mistaken, but I believe that through the biographies you get to know her heart. Knowing her heart, I been sharing with people who does not know about her and her struggle. I relate to Mrs Suu Kyi when I have tried to advocate for someone or something and there was no support but a lot of judgment. Mrs. Suu Kyi has made sacrifices and has work unstoppable towards democracy of Burma using non-violence. Suu Kyi work for the Burmese people, reminds me of the work of Mother Teresa for the poorest of the poor.
I read in an article written by Peter Popham who wrote a wonderful book named " The Lady and The Peacock" but who recently, most of his articles seem to implying that perhaps Mrs. Suu Kyi did not stop the violence against Muslim because Buddhist have always been prosecuted by Muslims and perhaps she as Buddhist is holding to that idea. The doubt and implication of such comment could create such confusions and animosity. I wonder why Mr. Popham after writing extraordinary things about Suu Kyi, will comment such things.
I thought of what will Jesus do if he was here. Didn't he command us to love each other as he had love us?. Well definetly many have failed to follow and stand for this command in many instances and now in the case of Burma.
Why many around the world and in his big majority of Christ followers seem to want a women alone to make a change in a country in which for over 60 years a military dictator was imposed and when he decided to retire he left leaders nickname " The butcher" and " The puppet" as the new leaders of Burma. Can you imagine what have been the the fate of Burmese in the hands of people with such nicknames for more than 60 years ??
Are we following Jesus commands and being fair against the case of Burma and Aung San Suu Kyi? I am afraid not.
In America, I heard a lot of talk about believing in Christ. Most Presidents at some point speak about trusting God or talk about pride in a Christian Nation but what does all this mean if we don't do as Christ would have done? What does it mean if we don't help those in need. Why the press condemns Suu Kyi without considering that when Mrs. Suu Kyi asked for help, no one has intervene to end dictatorship and embrace her as a democratic president.
We talk about doing unto others as we wish others to do unto us but all I have read in the news is judgment, judgment and criticism against " The lady" as she is known.
Isn't not acting upon a belief called hypocrecy?.
What I understand is that the world wants that Mrs. Suu Kyi who has endured since 1988 many violations to her human rights including years of house arrest, jail time, assassination attempts, not allowed to be the President elected by her people, What the world wants is for her to do something. But what else could she possible do if she has given her life to liberating Burma from tyranny.
What else is demanded of one individual when the rest of the world are only spectators ? When the leaders of countries have not intervene to end Burma's dictatorship and abuses towards their people. What else do we want a women who has endured enough suffering to do alone??
I do not comprehend why powerful Nations like the USA, France, Russia, China, etc will not have intervene by now.
In America, We have intervene for the humans called Jewish, we have invaded every other country around the Globe to tell them what to do in their efforts for obtaining democracy but we have not helped Burma to end violations to human righs. Why do we have UN and all those organizations if we allow such injustices??
I read in the newspaper politicians such former Governor of New Mexico and stars alike criticising Suu Kyi for not stopping the expulsion of Muslims and their prosecution. Why do we judge harshly a leader who we have seen standing alone for her race? What are we as a members of this planet doing to help Burma and Muslim and anyone victim of oppression???
I am reflecting upon the prosecution that Muslims endure here in America and the prosecution that most philosophies or religions endure if they are not Christian.
A few years ago, when the news talked about Muslim being terrorists, I was called a Muslim by a stranger just because my looks and because I spoke about not everybody from a different religion or country being harmful.
Arent we having double standards judging Burma but intimidating Muslims in America?
I think of The Dalai Lama and how he escaped Tibet in order to preserve his life. Was he able to stop the killing of Tibetans? No, he could not. I don't blame him for that. All I ask from him is that he doesn't fall into only supporting male as religious leaders of Buddhism when women could as well represent Buddhism.
How many sexual abuses stories towards children have occurred over and over and perhaps could have been prevented but have the Pope Francis, or any other Pope, stopped them? How many crimes through history made in the name of God.... Who are we going to blame for that??
I think of African and all the suffering they have endured. From occupation to genocides, land grabbing, natural resources exploited, slavery. I don't assume Mr. Desmond Tutu is to be responsible of any of it. Neither I expected Mandela to do all the work of liberating a Nation from one of the most Powerful rulers in the world.
Why then we expect one women to do all the work that has taken many leaders to achieve?
Through history Powerful Nation leaders have not intervene in genocides such was the case of Rwanda or the Armenian Genocide. Such was the case of the Native Americans, African in America genocide.
When the poorest of the poor in India and in the world were starving was a women who decided to give till it hurted. Mother Teresa with her example of selfless, ego- less life, lifted many from their sorrows. Still, the slums and streets in India are filled with the poorest of the poor. Why???
Why if religious leaders and leaders of countries live a comfortable lives, why the rest of humanity do not deserve the same??? Why do we have so many homeless on the streets of the richest and powerful Nations???
Why are we so self- centered ???? We pursue material goals and dreams that have little to do with becoming spiritual. Many of the religious leaders live lavish lives with the money that their followers give them but we must not observe this, we are judging. Jesus would have noticed too. Jesus who said that will be easier for a camel than for the rich to pass through the eye of the neddle will notice that we are not always practicing what we preach.
Jesus a humble spirit who did not need fancy clothes or iphones noticed the rich and opulent behavior and when he challenged that status quo, he was killed.
Are the the media and all those asking for the Nobel Prize to be removed cruxifing Aung San Suu Kyi for following the Buddhist precepts on non- violence and compassion? The same very precepts that Ghandi used to liberate India from Imperial Great Britain. Why?
Is all this because she is a women who has taught us that her weapon is not war or guns but patience, resilience, sacrifice and compassion.
Well I, as women from the west who has learned about Jesus and Buddha would like to ask all of our leaders to think of Mrs. Suu Kyi as their beloved mother or sister. After all we are only one human race, why do we insist in dividing us?
I read from Pema Chodron than in order for Peace to be possible we need to have a change of heart. We need to stop our righteousness believes and we need to soften our hearts.
I ask to all the leaders of Nations, the religious leaders that we allow a change of heart. By doing so, we will be able to see the human being in Suu Kyi and in the Burmese beings and everyone in Syria, Gaza, Africa, Haiti and any region which needs our intervention now.
By seeing with a compassionate heart we will be able to help rather than judge an extraordinary women like Suu Kyi who has been the living example of what Love and compassion for each other means.
©KarlaGMundo2018
