Tomatos and Democracy

These days, we see all-too-frequent news stories and pictures of fake monks holding weapons and leading Pyu-saw-hti (pro-military militias). Many artists and cartoonists have lampooned the armed aggression of these fake monks as being against the Buddha’s teachings of non-violence. The very notion of “armed monks” is an oxymoron!

However, imitation diamonds do not diminish the luster and value of real ones. Similarly, there are many monks who are compassionate, and whose hearts are full of sorrow from their realistic understanding of the current situation in Myanmar. Among these is a well-known, progressive monk in northern Myanmar who is helping local tomato farmers. He recently posted the following online:

“When I went downtown to the railway market this morning, I spoke to sad-faced farmers who come from neighboring villages to sell their produce. Amazingly, not many people are buying their fresh tomatoes, which they are selling for just 100 (Myanmar Kyats) per viss. While so many other things rise in price, these farmers’ tomatoes are still just 100 kyats per viss! It’s so compassionate of them to keep this low price.

Yet the farmers are not selling enough to justify their continuing to do so. But then I had a thought: if monasteries and charities in other towns have a dire need for food, and if they can reimburse us for the produce and the cost of transportation, my team would buy tomatoes here to send to them, which would both help farmers here and needy people elsewhere alike. I would even buy the tomatoes for 200 kyats per viss!

If you are interested, please contact me through charities.”

One day after posting this, one of his monk friends from Yangon, who also happens to be a well-known writer, ordered 500,000 kyat of tomatoes! Then little by little, other individual donors, monks and charities put in orders. The monk sent 2,000 viss to Yangon, and 500 viss to Myitkyina, which got distributed to needy people and organizations. A local media outlet, Bahosi Media, reported this news, and also stated that it could solve a food issue in Kachin State because tomatoes now cost 2,000 kyats per viss there.

This creative and helpful solution has been very beneficial to many people!