Rev. Danny Fisher

My pal and former boss Robert Pryor has made me aware of really cool show on the satellite station LinkTV: Lunch with Bokara.

The show’s description on LinkTV’s website is fairly simple:

[It is] a television series that explores the frontiers of religion and metaphysics, of science and spirituality.

Join host Bokara Legendre, as she brings together an engaging group of well-known scientists, thinkers, and spiritual teachers from around the world. Be a part of a unique, spontaneous conversation as fascinating guests who have often never met are brought together for the first time to share their insights, knowledge and wisdom.

Lunch with Bokhara has already featured several Buddhist guests, including Roshi Joan Halifax, Robert Thurman, and Jon Kabat-Zinn. You will also find “Buddhist-friendly” guests such as Ram Dass and Brother David Steindl-Rast.

It’s great stuff–take a look.

Exiled Burmese monk U Awbata has joined Amnesty International, seven Nobel laureates, and others in calling for a comprehensive international weapons embargo on his home country. The Washington Post reports:

A Myanmar monk called for a global weapons embargo on his country, telling human rights activists and foreign governments Thursday the junta’s military leaders must not be allowed to use guns against his people again.

U Awbata said he struggles to shake memories of Myanmar soldiers opening fire on fellow monks, stomping on their heads and pummeling them with batons during protests last September.

“It doesn’t matter how many tears I shed,” U Awbata said, speaking on behalf of dozens of monks who fled after the military crackdown and live in exile. “I cannot erase these images from my mind.”

[...]

“The military generals have used their guns to crush and kill their own people,” U Awbata said.

He called on the international community “to work together and urge those countries selling arms to Burma to stop doing so.”

I will be sure to keep you posted about ways you can support efforts to impose such an embargo on Myanmar’s ruling military junta. Stay tuned.

From Amnesty International:

The human rights situation in Chad and the Central African Republic (CAR) has grown significantly worse since a rebel attack on Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, in late January 2008. But widespread human rights violations in Chad and CAR, including the targeting of opposition leaders, journalists and human rights defenders in Chad, and kidnappings of civilian–including children–in CAR, are long-standing and pervasive. Armed conflict and instability in Chad is exacerbating these dangerous conditions and forcing Chadian refugees into Darfur. At the same time, Janjawid militia, and Sudanese and Chadian rebel violence has poured into Chad from Darfur, along with a massive influx of refugees from Darfur and CAR, followed by their attackers. This has further endangered Chadian civilians. It is time to consider human rights concerns in Chad, Darfur and CAR as a regional problem. House Resolution 1011 and Senate resolution 470 do just that. Call your Representative and Senators today. Strongly urge them to co-sponsor these important resolutions to protect civilians throughout the region.

Email your senators and representative here.