Judgment on Case "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon & Cardinal Charles Maung Bo"

CASE 36-2017: Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar) & His Eminence Cardinal Charles Maung Bo

ETHICAL JUDGMENT

Dear Prosecutor, Public Defender, Ambassador and Jury Members of the International Buddhist Ethics Committee (IBEC) and Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights (BTHR), regarding the Case 36-2017 against "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar) & His Eminence Cardinal Charles Maung Bo", on November 27, 2017, it is hereby recorded that the trial has been concluded to analyze the violation of Human Rights and Buddhist Ethics made by the accused. This case has been carried out as a consequence of the "Ashin Wirathu Case", the "Myanmar Case" and the "State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Case".

After the analysis of the presentation of the Case and the validation of proofs, it has proceeded with the vote of 6 members of the Jury, confirming that all of them have voted "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar) & His Eminence Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" as Responsible for the serious crimes of Complicity with Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes against Humanity, Complicity with Crimes against Peace and Spiritual Fraud.

Although the group "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar)" and its leader "Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" have been direct witnesses of genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity carried out by the Myanmar government, they have decided to publicly and repeatedly support such criminal and dictatorial government, which constitutes an act of Complicity in serious violation of human rights. Moreover, the group "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar)" and its leader "Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" have come to dare to revalidate these crimes through the use of Buddhist concepts, which constitutes Spiritual Fraud, illegally usurping Buddhist Spirituality in order to ethically endorse a criminal and genocidal government, which also implies an absolute betrayal of the teachings of Master Jesus of Nazareth. In this way, the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights declares that the group "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar)" and its leader "Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" are a spurious, immoral and illegal movement, dedicating rather to politics instead of devoting themselves to carry out spiritual teachings and ethical or humanitarian guidance. Thus, the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights has implemented the jurisprudence used in the "ISIS Case," "State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee Case," "National Ecclesiastical Tribunal Case" and "Aum Shinrikyo & Aleph Case," by denouncing presumably religious movements which are dedicated to endorse international crimes as being illegal.

On the other hand, as a result of the public request made by the group "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar)" and its leader "Cardinal Charles Maung Bo", the fact that the recent visit of Pope Francis I to Myanmar occurred in a climate of acceptance of not mentioning the word "Rohingya", in addition to agreeing to meet privately with the genocidal military leader Ming Aung Hlaing implies a strong ethical backing to the civil-military dictatorship of Myanmar led by Aung San Suu Kyi. Instead of denouncing the terrible genocide, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity carried out in Myanmar, instead of requesting urgent international intervention, the "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar)" and its leader "Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" have decided to provide moral and public support for a genocidal government that is committing the worst international crimes against defenseless men, women and children, also requiring the Vatican to grant omissive silence in the face of genocide. In fact, these acts of omissive silence, and even complicity, on the part of the highest spheres of Catholic Power have been analyzed in other Cases sentenced by the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights, such as the "Argentina Case" and the "Venezuela Case ", where the Vatican has sustained and legitimized criminal governments. However, on this occasion, complicity is as serious as the relationship that the Catholic Power kept with the Nazi Empire. The visit of Pope Francis I to Myanmar in a silence climate before the Rohingya Holocaust, visiting the de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi, the head of the armed forces Ming Aung Hlaing and even the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee, results of a gravity as deep as if the Pope had visited Adolf Hitler, Heinrich Himmler and the SS Nazi Squad by simultaneously agreeing not to mention the word "Jew" while the genocide was taking place. In fact, the silence of Pope Pius XII during Nazism, omitting to denounce the extermination against the Jewish People, has been one of the most shameful episodes in the history of Christianity. This new silence before the genocide of the Rohingya People constitutes a new demonstration of the immorality and hypocrisy of the highest spheres of the Catholic Power of Vatican.

The Maitriyana Community offers the accused "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar)" and its leader "Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" this Ethical Judgment as a teaching mode on how a Righteous and Adequate Spirituality (Samma-Sasana) truly behaves, which clearly is not practiced by the high world Catholic power, making complicit silence in the face of sexual abuses and murders of minors. The members of this religious group must quickly learn that it is very simple to denounce genocides 50 or 100 years after they have occurred. Genocides, ethnic cleansings and crimes against humanity must be denounced while they occur, trying to stop humanity from doing evil, start doing good and purify its mind. That is the teaching of all the Awakened and Savior Ones (Buddhas-Christs), as taught in the Dhammapada. The messianic task of the Free and Enlightened Beings (Arhats-Bodhisattvas) is to unwaveringly engage with the Salvation of all sentient beings, never agreeing silence with the prevailing political powers. A genuine spiritual master must be willing to self-sacrifice for the Truth, being willing even to be annihilated for denouncing the evils of the world, as did by Master Jesus, who perfectly understood that the expression of the divine is Compassion and Justice.

Because the request submitted to Pope Francis I in order not to mention the word "Rohingya" has been made by both the "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar)" and its leader "Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" as well as by the CATHOLIC BISHOPS' CONFERENCE OF MYANMAR (CBCM), this shows that this Case is not a mere individual error but it rather expresses an institutional policy of Complicity with Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes against Humanity, Complicity with Crimes against Peace and Spiritual Fraud. In addition, it is recalled that complicit silence maintained regarding the genocide against the Rohingya People by the State of Myanmar, under the excuse that this would endanger the Christian minorities of the country, is the same excuse as the complicit silence of the Pope Pius XII during the genocide of the Jewish People by the Nazi Empire, with which a concordat or international pact of support was even signed. Faced with this kind of policies that are complicit in serious violations of human rights by the Catholic Power, it is recalled that Master Jesus never made a pact with the political and economic powers of his time.

The Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights agrees with Father Bernardo Cervellera that behind the genocide and ethnic cleansing against the Rohingya People there are powerful economic interests, since in the areas where this persecuted people live there are not only many valuable natural resources, but it also would be the area where an oil pipeline would pass in order to transport oil to China. Therefore, behind these terrible crimes against humanity there is no a mere religious hatred toward Muslim minorities, but rather there are powerful political and economic interests to benefit national and international military elites. In this sense, making papal visits to the genocidal government of Myanmar and its civic-military leaders Aung Sam Suu Kyi and Ming Aung Hlaing in a context of omissive silence in the face of human rights violations is a sign of closeness with the corrupt powers and a signal of the death of hope for the hundreds of thousands of victims suffering from ethnic cleansing, mass murder and sexual abuse in a systematic and widespread way. The Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights coincides with Priest Reese, commissioner of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, in the fact that the silence of Pope Francis I in the face of persecution against the Rohingya People makes him lose moral credibility. The Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights establishes that those who claim to be the moral compass of the world must have purified the mind, the word and action, developing the mission of the great Peace (Shalom) champions. However, in case those who possess worldly power simply transmit beautiful speeches but that do not fit in with their actions, then they will be part of the evils of the world, being genuine representatives of greed, hatred and deceit.

The Maitriyana agrees with True Christianity in the fact that the divine requires the individual to act justly and to love mercifully while walking with humility along the Way (Micah 6: 8). This means that the Buddhist Law, like the prophets and Master Jesus, teaches the commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself (Matthew 22:39). Therefore, the Maitriyana and True Christianity form a Path in which justice and love are united. The Buddhist Law does not consider that justice and love are opposite values and goals, because their judgments are warm and merciful. In this way, Maitriyana and True Christianity are differentiated from religious groups that consider love in a sentimental way and that are indifferent to bad behavior. The Buddhist Law offers a vision of wisdom with compassion, a vision of justice with mercy, which is the fundamental part of the divine. Indeed, Maitriyana and True Christianity agree in the fact that the divine is the experience of a righteous judge (Psalm 7: 7, 2 Timothy 4: 8) and simultaneously is the experience of love (1 John 4: 8), both being synthesized in the experience of Awakening (Bodhi), as Master Gautama showed under the tree, but also being synthesized in the experience of self-sacrifice, as Master Jesus showed in the cross. Consequently, the Buddhist Law is a system where reconciliation between victims and aggressors is sought, building a community of love and restorative justice, which are integral elements of the divine and even the sacred Purpose (Dharma) of life. Only through this principle and practice of unity between justice and love is that wounds can be healed. The Maitriyana and True Christianity seek that the world be judged righteously, that people are governed with justice, and that refuge be provided to the oppressed (Psalm 9: 7-9). However, state courts do not usually provide justice that treats people fairly, since state courts often discriminate and provide impunity to the rich and powerful. For this reason, the Buddhist Law is totally necessary to keep the practice of justice pure, which is actually the practice of love. The Maitriyana and True Christianity denounce injustices, seeking that the courts do not pervert justice through favoritisms to the rich or partialities to the poor (Leviticus 19:15), having to develop fair, good and whole relationships. Thus, the unity of justice and love is what Maitriyana and True Christianity call Peace (Shalom), which is not the absence of conflict but rather the presence of well-being and spiritual fulfillment. Justice and Love promoted by the Buddhist Law are both the basis and the product of this sacred Peace (Shalom), seeking that the whole humanity eradicates evil, installs good and purifies its interior. However, the Maitriyana and True Christianity affirm that the intrinsic nature of humanity is goodness, so that justice and love do nothing more than express the divine nature or Purpose (Dharma) of Self, achieving spiritual well-being and restorative peace in the relations between humanity and totality. The Buddhist Law then is not about simply following rules and carrying out punishments, but rather about transmitting the knowledge of compassionate love, which is the experience of the divine (Psalm 103: 8, 1 John 4: 8). This experience of love has no parallel with ordinary feelings or emotions, being rather a practice of love toward righteousness and justice (Psalm 33: 5). Maitriyana and True Christianity seek to create a world of love and justice where peoples resolve their conflicts in a harmonious and non-violent way, evolving through mutual support and inter-existence. Only through this compassionate wisdom (karuna-prajna) that unites justice and love is that humanity will be able to eradicate the evils of the world and reach the Ascension toward the Kingdom of Righteousness on Earth. However, without Awakening or Self-sacrifice, as taught by Masters Gautama and Jesus, there will never be justice or love, but only laws and feelings. The reconciling power of Buddhist Law is that it recognizes the Truth of victims and simultaneously offers the opportunity for redemption to the aggressors. The spiritual masters Gautama and Jesus showed that the world can be saved when justice and love are united; transforming the relationship that humanity has both with itself and with the rest of the Cosmos. The Maitriyana and True Christianity have this fascinating power of reconciliation and restorative justice, showing that humanity has actually never left Eden, but rather forgot that Mother Earth is the genuine paradise. In this way, the One Way of Liberation and Salvation always takes place in the here and now, never in a metaphysical existence, realizing the Truth of life through active contemplation, compassionate wisdom and humanitarian ethics. This Path spiritually transforms the internal and external world, allowing unity between the individual and the fellow beings. In short, there is no transformation without Truth and Justice, but there is no real Justice without altruism and love either, seeking the prevention of conflicts and the restoration of health and Peace (Shalom). The Buddhist Law is a hopeful service because it uses mediation, conciliation and restorative justice, instead of believing that justice can be achieved by means of prison sentences or economic penalties. The Maitriyana and True Christianity insist that judicial courts should be humanistic and restorative, seeking reintegration and reconciliation instead of punishment and marginalization.

On the other hand, the Buddhist Law coincides with Islam in the fact that justice is a precondition for the existence of society, reason by which a vision of social justice, ethical governance and even ethical justice is prioritized, seeking to virtuously harmonize the struggle between opposite forces that reside in the psychic and social world. For the Maitriyana, true justice is the realization of liberty, equality and fraternity, seeking to moderate excesses through the ethics of the Middle Way, as taught by Gautama and Allameh Tabatabaei. The Buddhist Law shows the Righteous Pathway toward spiritual development through generosity and justice, denouncing corruption, illegality and oppression at all times. The Maitriyana considers that the basis of justice is human rights, positioning spiritual masters as arbiters and true ethical leaders to determine if the peoples are behaving legally or immorally. The Buddhist Law considers that justice is not only important to form a righteous and distributive society but it is also a fundamental pillar for the survival and salvation of humanity. However, justice will always be perverted without altruism, benevolence and generosity at any time and place.

In conclusion, the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights has the Purpose (Dharma) to correct religious movements by means of True Spirituality, which implies a direct criticism of Catholic groups that directly or indirectly support violence, such as murders and abuses against children. Therefore, it is established that the "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar) & His Eminence Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" has violated human rights and the teachings of masters Gautama and Jesus through supporting a dictatorial and genocidal government that represents one of the greatest evils in the history of humanity, since the State of Myanmar is carrying out the worst international crimes and is also destroying the Buddhist Cultural Heritage. Undoubtedly, the high-ranking religious authorities of Catholicism should be ethical leaders and never be accomplices supporting or endorsing crimes against the sacrality of human life. The Kingdom of Righteousness on Earth will only happen through Peace (Shalom), and never through complicit silence with sexual abuse and slaughters of babies and children. Therefore, the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights practices contemplation, wisdom and ethics in order to create a world of compassion. In this way, the Case on "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar) & His Eminence Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" is a great lesson for Catholics to stop doing evil, begin to do good and purify their minds through the divine force of Justice and Love, rather than let the dark political and economic interests predominate.

Following masters Gautama and Jesus, who developed a Path of Love and Justice that can go through any Holocaust with dignity and rectitude, the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights supervises that religions do not attempt against ethics and human rights, never betraying the Compassionate Wisdom of the Divine. Therefore, the "Catholic Archdiocese of Yangon (Myanmar) & His Eminence Cardinal Charles Maung Bo" have been sentenced Responsible for Complicity with Genocide, Ethnic Cleansing and Crimes against Humanity, Complicity with Crimes against Peace and Spiritual Fraud.

With spirit of reconciliation (maitri),

Master Maitreya Samyaksambuddha

President and Spiritual Judge of the Buddhist Tribunal on Human Rights