The Barwanar Niyarma monastery in Maepa (Mae Sot) is known as Mae Sot Tawya monastery. The monastery was established in 1902 as a Burmese monastery. Ever since then, a Burmese Buddhist abbot always has taken in charge of the monastery. Now, a 65 years old Burmese abbot, who has been a Buddhist monk for 45 years, named U Maheinda has become the 5th Burmese abbot to take in charge of the monastery.
After the recent Burmese abbot named U Pannissa had passes away in 1989, U Maheinda was selected to take over his place. U Maheinda has been a resident of the monastery for almost 40 years. He was also recognized by the Thai abbots as the abbot in charge of this monastery. He never has a problem for not having a Thai citizenship or a legal resident document.
Due to the lack of his legal status, some of the narrow minded Thai people, who wanted the monastery to become a Thai monastery, have been campaigning for the removal of his leading role at the monastery since 2005. However, the leaders of Thai Buddhist monks association decided in favor of U Maheinda. The campaign still has continued until 2012.
The Bawse Signboard in the monastery
Digging the soils from the monastery
Their current campaign starting on October 20, 2011 was more complicated then it was in 2005. Within 2 months starting on that day, the monastery was frequently sabotaged by the campaigners. The annual religious festival of Burmese called “Kathein” was stopped by them. The cold case of the removal of the abbot was brought back to hear by the Thai Buddhist monks association by them. The rumors that some people were doing illegal activities at the monastery were spread by them. The police came and investigated the pilgrims, who were accused as part of human trafficking, at the monastery because of them. The police had to stop the people digging the soils from the monastery twice. The police took the abbot to the police station and questioned him for a made up fraud charge. The troops carried by 2 trucks raided the monastery citing for the security reason in the middle of a night.
A monk named U Kaymar currently residing at the monastery, the Bawse organization and the chairman of the district’s Thai Buddhist monks association are the leaders of the campaign.(Bawse means news, and it is some sort of media organization the region)
The video record of the people protesting the Bawse group not to enter the monastery
The Bawse group set up U Kaymar as an insider in order to carry out the campaign more effectively. The group has the responsibility creating the mistrust between the abbot and the local authorities. Its frequent attempts framing the other monks living in the monastery to get arrested had failed in the past. It’s simply because of the rally by the local Thai and Burmese people who have revered the abbot very much.
The people explaining the official of the township governor’s office about the situation
As of now, the Bawse group attempts to shut down the monastery by welding except the main gate. It also issues a statement claiming that the monastery must be under the chairman of the district’s Thai Buddhist monks association, the Burmese monks must be expelled and the Hindu temple in the monastery must be demolished on January 1, 2012. At this point, the Thai people, Burmese people and the people, who worship the Hinduism, have decided to from an organization On January 4, 2012 in order to fight back the Bawse group.
On January 4, all the members of the organization and the members of Nepali’s organization march to the Mae Sot mayor’s office call for the end of the Bawse group’s harassments. The mayor promises to come to the monastery for the intervention the next day. They then come back to the monastery and bring down two posters of Bawse in front of U Kaymar’s residence. A security team is formed and blocked all the monastery’s gates so that the Bawse group can’t enter the monastery. About 200 local people are deployed. After realizing the situation, U Kaymar has sneaked out of the monastery finally.
At 9 pm, the Maepa police come to the monastery and tell the people that they are reported by phone citing that U Kaymar is detained by a group of people in the monastery. The people allow them to come in and search for. Meantime, the patrol polices come to the monastery telling their fellow officers that U Kaymar has already sneaked out of the monastery, and they all leave together. At 10 pm, the Bawse group comes to the monastery and demands to open the gate but the security team rejects their demand. The authorities have to stop both parties. However, the situation is getting worse when 30 police officers, security van and military trucks have arrived to the monastery after the Bawse group reported to them. The people inside the monastery suggest them that they all can come in the monastery except the Bawse group.
The Bawse group left the scene (Video)
Later, the police investigation officers in civilian dress explain the people that the Bawse group has reported to them that the illegal immigrants are hiding in the monastery. Therefore, they want to check their documents and they will have to arrest the people who don’t have the legal documents. All the people in the monastery agree to it. When they find out that all the people have their citizenship, the police ask the Bawse group to leave. Later, all the trucks and authorities leave the scene except a police car to watch out for the Bawse group that still refuses to leave. At 2 am, the Bawse group leaves and the police car drive off.
On January 5, the people keep occupying the monastery and wait for the officials from the mayor’s office. By noon, 60 police officers, border guards, the township security force, the head of police, the government lawyer, and the head of Maepa along with the people waiting in the monastery already gather at the monastery for the meeting. They allow three reluctant Bawse members to attend the meeting. Among them, the authorities only allow the chairman of the district’s Thai Buddhist monks association to attend the meeting and let the rest of them to wait from outside for the decision.
The security force order the rest of Bawse group to wrap up their belongings and leave. Therefore, they have to take away all their welding tools and materials and rush home.All the authorities attending the meeting agree not to allow the Bawse group entering in the monastery. They also order the chairman of the district’s Thai Buddhist monks association to resign from his post, and he agrees to it at first. Then, he changes his mind and asks for a week to consider before he leaves.
The officer from the mayor’s office assures the people that he will report it to the mayor and bring back the result soon.
On the next day, the officer comes back and explains the mayor’s decision. According to the decision, the mayor will arrange to issue the legal document for the abbot. Meantime, the monastery will remain under custody of the chairman of the district’s Thai Buddhist monks association. The monastery will be returned to the abbot after he obtains the legal document. Also, he orders the chairman of the district’s Thai Buddhist monks association to sign his resignation within a week. All the audiences agree the mayor’s decision finally.
On January 6, the abbot has to stand on the trial by the accusation of the Bawse group and the judge decides not guilty in the end. He is living at the monastery peacefully now.We, all the Thai and Burmese people in the community, are still waiting for the signing of the resignation by the chairman of the district’s Thai Buddhist monks association on January 12, 2012.
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