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[brelief@xxxxxxx]

Buddhist Relief Mission
Supporting the Buddha Sasana Worldwide
266-27 Ozuku-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634, Japan
Tel: (07442) 2-8236 -- Fax: (07442) 4-6254
e-mail: brelief@xxxxxxx
Directors: Ken and Visakha Kawasaki


Press Release	March 18, 1997


	Buddhist Relief Mission wishes to express its deep concern over SLORC's
latest suppression of protests, officially characterized as riots, by
Buddhist monks in Burma's second largest city, Mandalay.   
	Being well informed of the volatile situation in the country at this time
and being fully aware of the Mandalay Sangha's courageous commitment to
democracy and human rights, we are convinced, first of all that SLORC's
official explanation for the monks' demonstration is unreliable and secondly
that the military's quelling of the protest poses great danger to members of
the Sangha and to other pro-democracy activists.
	Buddhist monks played a key  role in 1988 national pro-democracy uprisings
when hundreds of thousands of people dared to demonstrate against the
military dictatorship.  When these demonstrations were brutally suppressed,
thousands of unarmed citizens, including monks and novices were arrested or
killed outright.  In 1991, Buddhist monks, especially those in Mandalay,
organized a boycott to resist and oppose the military junta which resulted
in the imprisonment and forcible disrobing of many hundreds of monks.  There
have been signs of unrest among younger monks who want to see a restoration
of democracy in the country.
  	Because the Buddhist Relief Mission regards the situation in Mandalay as
extremely serious, we strongly urge the international community to show
support for the monks as they protesting against the SLORC.  We also urge
the media to pay close attention to events in Mandalay, the imposition of a
curfew, troop movements, roadblocks, arrests, and human rights abuses. 
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