Rev. Danny Fisher

Reuters is reporting that Nobel Peace laureate and Burma’s prime minister-elect Aung San Suu Kyi has refused to meet with her doctor and Minister of Relations Aung Kyi, who is in charge of liaising with her. She did meet with her lawyer, Kyi Win, though. Kyi Win quoted her as saying: “I am well, but I have lost some weight. I am a little tired and I need to rest.” As mentioned before here at the blog, Suu Kyi refused to meet with U.N. Special Envoy Imbrahim Gambari during his visit to Burma last month. More recently, she failed to make a food pick-up at her home, where she has spent 13 of the last 19 years under house arrest. This fueled speculation that she may have begun a hunger strike. A spokesman for her National League for Democracy party said, “I think she’s unhappy about not receiving any reply from the regime in response to her suggestions for a reconciliation process. She had given hers to Aung Kyi in their previous meetings.”

In light of His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s recent health concerns, Reuters today looks at questions about Tibet that will have to be considered when the 73-year-old Nobel Peace laureate eventually dies. How to pick his successor, especially knowing that China will try to install their own Dalai Lama? Without his leadership and moral example, will more violent unrest occur in the region?

(Via Bill Hart.)

Our friend Erick D. White tips us to a great piece in the Asia Sentinel about the deeper reasons for the widespread demonstrations by Buddhists in South Korea.

This via Avaaz.org:

For the first time in human history, the North Pole can be circumnavigated — the Arctic ice is melting quicker than many anticipated, accelerating sea level rise. Small island nations are preparing evacuation plans to guarantee the survival of their populations.

In a week, these small islands are tabling a resolution calling on the UN Security Council to address climate change as a pressing threat to international peace and security.

But the island states’ campaign for survival is meeting fierce opposition, so they need our help. Sign the petition now — it will be presented by the islands’ ambassadors at the UN next week. The more signatures we raise, the more urgently this call will ring out to protect our common future:

To the UN General Assembly & Security Council:
We, citizens all around the world, share the small island states’ concern that climate change threatens international peace and security. Action is needed now, and global climate negotiations must accelerate to deliver a strong deal in time to prevent catastrophe, as well as protecting those forced to relocate as a result of global warming. Our common future requires the United Nations to address the international climate crisis with at least as much urgency as it gives to matters of war and peace.

To sign the petition, follow this link.