There are too many reports of harrassment and intimidation of people working in the field of HIV these days in Myanmar/Burma for him to report on them all. The DVB web page http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=7783 has links to some of them.
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Burmese Buddhist monk expelled from monastery for helping AIDS victims
Democratic Voice of Burma
28 August 2006
The Reverend Einthariya from Mahasi Yeiktha Monastery, Yenanggyaung in central Burma who has been helping HIV/AIDS victims, was forced out of his monastery by the intense pressure of the authorities, for carrying out charitable activities.
The monk was expelled from the monastery by the sheer pressure put on the abbot of the monastery from the local authority and military junta affiliated Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) members.
“The abbot summoned me and said; there are many pressures. The monastery also has a meditation centre and it (its reputation?) could be damaged. By being considerate to the benefits of the majority, find a new monastery. I was summoned and told thus at 2.15 (pm). I answered, I will move out at the end of the Lent, Thadingyut, my lord, because it is now the Lent. (Note: By religious law, Buddhist monks are supposed to stay inside their monastery during Lent). There is a meditation course going on during this Lent. I think it is due to the HIV case. Therefore, be considerate to the benefits of the majority, he said and went back to his room. It is good that I be absent (from the monastery) for the benefit of the majority, I said and kowtowed the abbot, and I said, please allow me (to leave) and I left the monastery.”
When asked how the authorities pressured him and the abbot, Reverend Einthariya said they came to tell the abbot repeatedly that the reputation of the monastery’s meditation centre was under threat because of his activities to help HIV/AIDS victims, and that the authorities also insinuated the official title of the abbot (Aggamaha Dammasariya) might be withdrawn or monetary support might be cut off, if he didn’t follow their request to remove the monk.
“As they repeatedly told the abbot that action might be taken against him, he became quite distressed. Originally, the abbot told me that there was no problem as I was doing health matters. The abbot is a holy man (saint). When it was insinuated that his meditation centre might be closed down, he became very distressed. That’s why the abbot came to tell me.
Reverend Einthariya wasn’t sure which monastery will now accept him, as many monks are afraid that they might incur the wrath of the authorities by accepting him in their community.
http://english.dvb.no/news.php?id=7783
