Over 100 Western Buddhist teachers have joined together and signed a letter to President Obama “imploring [him] to repudiate the results” of the upcoming “sham” elections in Burma. The letter reads:
Dear President Obama, As you know, the upcoming elections in Burma, scheduled for November 7th cannot be legitimate without participation of the National League for Democracy (NLD). The NLD is boycotting this sham process because the Burmese military regime has designed electoral laws that insure that a rigged and non-representative election will transpire precluding the participation of Burma’s 2100 political prisoners and other democracy supporters. As leaders in the western Buddhist community, we implore you to repudiate the results of this upcoming election. We appreciate your Administration’s support for a Commission of Inquiry. We urge the U.S. government to exercise all diplomatic means to call the Burmese junta to account for allegations concerning Crimes against Humanity perpetrated against ethnic nationalities. It is essential that the international community witness your clear and unwavering support for the freedom of the Burmese people at this pivotal time in their history. We thank you in advance for your care and wisdom in responding to this urgent request and we look forward to your reply.