chtnews.com
News No. 126/2010, August 28, 2010
THE Buddhist monks of Ratnankur Buddhist temple in Naniachar could not go for pindacharana or alms round as the army refused to open a gate at the army zone which is used to control the movements of the Jumma people of the area.
The incident took place on 25 August. According to a monk from Ratnankur Temple, three Bhikkhus and four Sramanas (novices) went out for alms round at 6am on that day as they always did.
But the army refused to open the zone gate for the monks, and so the monks had to go back to the temple with their alms bowl empty.
The Buddhist monks rely on alms donations of the general public for their sustenance.
The gate at the Naniachar zone has been causing great problems for the general people there.
The zone authority opens and closes the gate as it pleases, but usually it opens it at 6 in the morning and closes at 6 in the evening.
The Jummas have to cross the gate to go to the bazaar, to the offices, or to the hospital or their relatives.
They cannot do that when the gate is closed at night.
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