“Please tell us what we can do to help,” writes respected nun Sister Chan Khong in a letter to Aung San Suu Kyi, addressing alleged crimes against humanity in Myanmar.
Sister Chan Khong. Photo by Paul Davis.
Sister Chan Khong, the eldest monastic at Plum Village, has written a letter to Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi entreating Suu Kyi to accept help from the Buddhist community. In the letter, Sr. Khong advocates for compassionate action to end the persecution of Myanmar’s Muslims. Advocacy groups have said government-supported persecution of Muslims in Myanmar may amount to crimes against humanity or genocide.
Khong is a Buddhist teacher and a longtime activist for peace who, during the Vietnam War, posed as an ocean fisherman in order to save stranded boat people. She is also known as Thich Nhat Hanh’s closest collaborator.
In her letter, which is dated February 16th but was released publicly on March 9th, Sr. Khong emphasizes that Muslims in Myanmar are suffering and their suffering is increasing each day. “We know that you, too, must also be suffering a great deal, knowing that such cruelty is being inflicted upon them… the energy of compassion and wisdom in you is very great.”
Sr. Khong reminds Suu Kyi that everyone — Muslims, militants, and citizens — has Buddha-nature, and says that Suu Kyi, who is a Buddhist, has the power to end the violence. The Dalai Lama has also urged Suu Kyi to address the plight of the Myanmar’s Muslims. Sr. Khong ends the letter by imploring Suu Kyi to accept help from the international Buddhist community.
“Please tell us what we can do to help,” write Sr. Khong.
Sr. Khong says she is in Thailand and would be happy to travel to Myanmar for in-person discussions. In a post-script, she includes her personal email address to open lines of communication. Read the letter in full below:
