Ewen Hardie, an Edinburgh schoolteacher and current CHE student, has taken unusual action in solidarity with the Burmese people. In shaving a decade's worth of dreadlocks and giving up shoes, he has found far more support than he expected, and achieved a greater depth of engagement with his students.

Ewen writes: Following the news of the uprising in Burma, I felt optimistic, like many Burmese civilians. I felt that the involvement of the monks presented a real possibility for a bloodless transition to democracy. Photographs of thousands of monks in their saffron robes peacefully marching through the streets filled me with a sense of hope despite the threats that were being issued by the military junta.
It was therefore extremely difficult to learn on Thursday (27th September) that they had been fired upon and beaten. I simply could not imagine how anyone could fire a gun into a crowd of monks. I also felt deeply frustrated that there was nothing more I could do than sign a petition appealing to the Chinese to exercise their influence on the country's leaders.

I awoke on Friday (28th September) to more terrible news on the radio: an unknown number of monks and civilians had been murdered. The next news item was about traffic, followed by the weather, followed by a cheerful pop song. I was struck hard by this progression. Not only do we live in a world with brutality and horror, but it has become so common that we do not even pause to contemplate it. We are numbed to tragedy so that it rarely penetrates deeper than our peripheral awareness.

On Friday I allowed the news and the accompanying pain to sink in. I spent most of the morning in tears, unable to talk about it without breaking down again. I realised that what I felt most acutely was the injustice that all this was happening and life here wouldn't even miss a beat. I needed to do something to make sure that for me at least, this would not be the case.

So on Friday afternoon I shaved my head in solidarity with the Burmese people, ending very nearly ten years as a dread head and a period of at least eleven years without a hair cut. I knew that this action would catch the attention of the students at Drummond Community High School where I teach. I also hoped that the reasons behind my actions would be widely discussed. It is important to me that the issue is remembered after the initial shock has faded. I therefore decided that I will also walk bare foot wherever possible since this is unlikely ever to lose the capacity to draw attention.

I have been touched by the resoundingly positive response that I have had from absolutely everybody. From a bouncer in a club who allowed me inside and offered fist aid should I cut my feet, to random people stopping me in the street, I have not yet had a single negative comment.

The news spread through the school like wildfire and it was quickly followed by my reasons for taking action. I have had the most intense, inspiring and emotionally draining days teaching. I have been reminded that there is no issue too complex or difficult to address with young people. The thing that makes the difference is the quality of attention that they bring to a subject. Because I had captured their attention with a bold statement, and then held it by talking about an issue of such great importance, together we pushed back the boundaries to reach places I would not have imagined possible.

I am greatly indebted to my students for the quality of their input to the many amazing conversations that I have had in recent days. I am also touched by those staff and students who have come to express their support or who have e-mailed me with encouragement. You give me hope for the future.

I intend to remain shaven headed and bare footed until such time as there is a democratically elected leader in Burma.

By shutting down the Internet connection and blocking mobile phone masts the junta has attempted to prevent the world from seeing what is happening in Burma. As we all know, even with dramatic images to accompany it, a story rarely stays on the front pages for more than a few days. If the international community's attention turns away from Burma, untold brutality will succeed in crushing a group of people who desire nothing more than democracy. This must not happen.

In an attempt to dissuade the small number of British companies who trade with Burma to immediately halt, Anne Clywd, chair of the UK parliament's all-party group on human rights, said "Nobody with any kind of morality should trade with Burma. Continuing trade is unacceptable." Surely this applies equally to China, Burma's most important trading partner, and the host to next year's Olympic Games. I, for one, cannot see how such an event can take place in a country without "any kind of morality".

If you have not already signed the petition that I mentioned above please follow the link below.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/stand_with_burma/i.php/?cl=20822062&signup=1

You may also have heard that many people are wearing red in solidarity. Other actions in solidarity with Burma can be found on burmacampaign.org.uk and indymedia.org.

Thank you for reading,

Yours, in love and hope,
Ewen Hardie

Ewen gave a brief radio interview with Sally Magnusson (of BBC Scotland's Sally on Sunday) on the 7th of October, which can be downloaded here (MP3, 2.83 mb - firefox users please right-click and save).

Update 26 October: Edinburgh Evening News featured Ewen's protest in their Education section.