Sulak Sivaraksa's "Tasks for Modern Buddhists"

This excerpt is from Sulak Sivaraksa's 1976 lecture at the World Fellowship of Buddhists meeting in Thailand.

Is it too much for us Buddhists to appeal for:

1. The return to the traditional culture and spiritual values, for the elimination of those foreign elements which can cause discord and hatred among the people and can destroy the beauty of our traditions and customs.

2. An educational system that provides equal opportunities to every citizen, rich and poor, city dwellers and country people.

3. An economic policy that does not create gaps between people. There should be a policy which prevents the minority becoming richer and richer, while taking away the chances for a decent living from the majority. The Government should refrain from importing luxurious items for the sake of the consumption of the rich minority, forbid the transferring of money by the rich to deposit in foreign banks outside the country - not to mention the rich buying property abroad!

4. The re-organization of the armed forces, to educate soldiers to become friends of the villagers, not to oppress and terrorize them. The ignorance and ill-behavior of the soldiers can lead to more opposition that is violent from among the population.

5. The reform of life in the countryside. Efforts should be made to help farmers, small merchants and others to exercise their professions and organize themselves in order to produce better and to sell their products, and to encourage and protect people who are working to help in the work of rural development.

6. Attention to miserable conditions in the slum areas. Land should be distributed to those in the slums who would like to go and settle in the rural areas in order to have a better life. Food and transportation should be provided to those who wish to participate in such a programme.

7. A neutral and independent policy towards the conflicting powers to maintain a truly independent stand, non-aligned, trying to avoid involvement in any international conflicts in order to preserve peace.

8. A sensible and intelligent policy towards the armed opposition movement. Violent confrontation should be avoided. Sincere and direct contact with the leaders of the movement should be made immediately. Try to listen to every point of criticism and prove to the people by action that points being made by them can be realized in more peaceful ways in cooperation with them.

I thought that piece was rather interesting. One point that I want to highlight is number 4. "...to educate soldiers to become friends of the villagers, not to oppress... . The ignorance and ill-behavior of the soldiers can lead to more opposition that is violent from among the population."

When I read that, I immediately thought of Afghanistan and Iraq. I can't even begin to count how many instances I've heard, videos I've seen, of our troops treating the citizens of those countries disgustingly. And Sivaraksa is right; ill-behavior can and probably will lead to even more violence.

Look at it this way: If America were invaded in the name of "liberation", and the invading nation's troops treated us like objects instead of people, would you still love them? I'd bet that most people wouldn't. We'd be angry and fight back.