Update on the Ashin Wirathu Campaign

Afshin Wirathu
Afshin Wirathu is a Burmese Buddhist monk and the communal leader of the anti-Muslim movement in Myanmar.

On 27 July 2020, UN-aligned sent a letter to the Burmese Buddhist monk Ashin Wirathu asking him, amongst other things, how he could reconcile his hostility to the Rohingya with his Buddhist creed. The letter was sent registered.

Three months later, the letter is still sitting in a post office in Myanmar and the status of the letter is described as “in transit.” The address was of course correct; in fact, the monastery he resides in is the well-known and accessible New Masoyein Monastery in Mandalay. So why on earth is the letter still stuck in Nowhere Land?

It would be nice to be able to blame the ridiculous delay on the incompetence of the Burmese regime, but sadly the condition of postal services has become a disgrace in so many places around the world now, that such incompetence is becoming the norm rather than the exception. I could write a lament of epic proportions of the disasters my acquaintances and I have had to put up with regarding lost, stolen, damaged and undelivered mail.

This month, NASA landed a probe on an asteroid: no address; no fixed abode… and yet our postal services cannot even get a simple letter or parcel from A to B, when that is precisely what they are there to do.

I am not that old and yet when I was younger, I could always depend on the post. In fact, as a stamp collector I can see how mail was successfully delivered before the invention of the aeroplane and during world wars and other disasters. And yet taking something from A to B seems too much for the 21st century postal services!

Guaranteeing a decent infrastructure, including efficient postal services, is one of the articles of UN-aligned. The importance of postal services is also highlighted by the United Nations, which has a branch dedicated to it: the Universal Postal Union (UPU), headquartered in Berne, Switzerland. Sadly, however, many governments do not seem willing to take the responsibility seriously.

Well, back to the campaign. We will not give up and we are currently looking at alternative ways to ensure that the message to the Bhante is delivered. As our network of members increases, we should be better placed to overcome these problems.

We already have members from several countries around the world… we need more! Spread the word and help us increase our members’ pool so that we will be able to campaign more easily and effectively!  In the meantime, we will keep you updated on developments regarding this campaign.

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Unlike most organisations, UN-aligned is, primarily, its members. We are the New United Nations and though just a drop in the ocean, for now, we will carry on growing until we will become a force to be reckoned with!The more of us there are, the more chance we have of achieving our aims. Help us by promoting membership to you friends or to people you think have similar values. If every member added another, membership would snowball and we would be unstoppable!We also need active members: people who roll up their sleeves and contribute to the work of the organisation. Some already have, for instance, by writing articles for The Gordian, or offering to help with proofreading.

No matter what you can do, we want you. Write to us with your talents and we’ll make it work. 
The Gordian
The gordian issue 2, vol 8 cover

Voices That Shape Nations

Voices that shape us are all around us. In this issue of The Gordian magazine, we delve into the profound influence of diverse cultures and communities in the process of nation-building. From the tranquil mountains of Tibet to the vibrant streets of India, each article illuminates the unique contributions and challenges faced by these distinct groups in shaping the tapestry of our global society.

This issue features articles by Alexander Stoney, Amy Church, Sunil Kumar Pariyar, Ellen Jones, Omar Alansari-Kreger and Carla Pietrobattista. The Editors are Ariana Yekrangi and Adrian Liberto.

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