All Lives are Sacred: A plea to put an end to massive killing in Bangkok

Public Statement

All Lives are Sacred: A plea to put an end to massive killing in Bangkok 

International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB) 

Since the beginning of the demonstration by the United front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), aka “Red Shirts”, on 12 March 2010, there have been many hundreds of casualties. In the past five days, attempts to disperse the demonstration in Ratchaprasong have become been violent, with a further effect of provoking violence. The government’s actions have so far failed to deter the demonstrators.
The present clash of political views is one of the great crises in Siam’s modern history. The country was previously acclaimed for settling conflict peacefully and democratically. Now it appears that both sides, the government and the UDD, are clinging to an illusion of victory over another.  The entire nation is hostage to their conflict. Buddhist wisdom is relevant for those absorbed in hatred, greed and delusion. The Dhammapada, Verse 201 says:

Victory breeds hatred, for the conquered is unhappy. Persons who have given up both victory and defeat, the contented, they are happy.

The International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB), representing a diversity of socially engaged buddhists from around the world, is gravely concerned about this standoff. We wish for all parties address the conflict with reason and tools of peace, to recognize the ancient Buddhist wisdom that neither the so-called winner nor loser will be contented and happy. We encourage those who do not fall into one of the two camps can help this process wherever possible.  Only through peaceful negotiation and dialogue can all parties concerned return the country to its true nature as a flourishing democracy and a peace-loving nation.





Our heartfelt plea is for both parties to stop any act that may cost lives and injuries;  to reclaim the time-tested wisdom of reconciliation and nonviolence.


Whenever INEB can help bridge the gap between the opposed parties we are willing to do all that we can.

We trust that in the light of upcoming international Vesakh celebrations in Thailand, supported by the United Nations 22-26 May 2010 and the subsequent local Vesakh celebrations, commemorating the birth, enlightenment and the passing away of the Lord Buddha, all parties will unite in taking responsibility for their conduct and for bringing about lasting peace, transformation towards social justice and shared wellbeing for future generations. 

To close, in Verse 5 of the Dhammapada the Buddha proclaims:

Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world. By love alone is hatred appeased. This is an eternal law.

International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB)
www.inebnetwork.org
Patron, Advisory Committee and Executive Committee Name Lists

PATRONS

His Holiness the Dalai Lama   Tibet
Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh   France/Vietnam 
Venerable Phra Rajpanyamedhi   Siam (Thailand)  
Venerable Bhikshuni Chao Hwei  Taiwan

ADVISORY COMMITTEE (AC)

Name	Organisation	Country
Sulak Sivaraksa (Founder Chair)	Santi Pracha Dhamma Institute www.sulak-sivaraksa.org	Siam
Raja Dharmapala	Dharmavedi Institute	Sri Lanka
Jill Jameson	Buddhist Peace Fellowship Australia	Australia
Dharmachari Lokamitra	Jambudvipa Trust www.jambudvipa.org	India
Ven. Tsering Palmo	Ladakh Nuns Association	Ladakh/India
Phra Maha Boonchuay	Mahachulalongkorn University http://www.mcu.ac.th	Siam
Phra Phaisan Visalo	Buddhika Network for Buddhism and Society http://www.budnet.org	Siam
Bhikkhuni Dhammananda	Songdhammakalyani Monastery	Siam
Venetia Walkey	Dhamma Park Foundation www.dhammapark.com	Siam
Ven. Pomnyun Sunim	Jungto Society www.jungto.org	South Korea
Rev. Alan Senauke	Clear View Project www.clearviewproject.org	USA
Ven. Sumanalankar	Parbatya Bouddha Mission www.pbm-cht.org	Bangladesh
Hisashi Nakamura	Ryukoku University www.ryukoku.ac.jp	Japan
Rev. Masazumi Okano	International Buddhist Exchange Center	Japan
Swee-hin Toh	University for Peace www.upeace.org	Costa Rica
Frans Goetghebeur	European Buddhist Union www.e-b-u.org	Belgium

EXECUTICE COMMITTEE (EC)

Name	Organisation	Country
Harsha Navaratne (Chairperson)	Sewalanka Foundation www.sewalanka.org	Sri Lanka
Hans van Willenswaard (Vice Chairperson)	GNH Program www.schoolforwellbeing.org	Netherlands/ Siam
Somboon Chungprempree (Interim Executive Secretary)	Spirit in Education Movement (SEM) www.semsikkha.org	Siam
Douangdeuane Bounyavong	Buddhists for Development www.bdp.org.la	Laos
Hsiang-chou Yo	Fo Guang University www.fgu.edu.tw	Taiwan
Jonathan Watts	Think Sangha	USA/Japan
Anchalee Kurutach	Buddhist Peace Fellowship www.bpf.org	USA
Poolchawee Ruangwichatorn	Spirit in Education Movement (SEM) www.semsikkha.org	Siam
Pipob Udomittipong	Sathirakoses-Nagapradipa Foundation (SNF) www.snf.or.th	Siam
Ros Sotha	Buddhists and Khmer Society Network www.bksn.wordpress.com	Cambodia
Mangesh Dahiwale	Jambudvipa Trust www.jambudvipa.org	India
Prashant Varma	Deer Park Institute www.deerpark.in	India
Erica Kang	Jungto Society www.jungto.org	South Korea
Minyong Lee		South Korea
Eddy Setiawan	HIKMAHBUDHI www.hikmahbudhi.or.id	Indonesia
Matteo Pistono	Nekorpa and RIGPA Fellowship	USA
Tashi Zangmo		Bhutan
Vidyananda (KV Soon)		Malaysia
Harn		Burma/Myanmar