UAE- Myanmar must wipe out religious violence to achieve development: paper
Date
7/10/2016 5:56:42 AM
(MENAFN- Emirates News Agency (WAM))
DUBAI, 10th July, 2016 (WAM) -- Another mosque has been razed in Myanmar, the second in just over a week. The destruction has been blamed on rising Buddhist nationalism which in itself is ironical, as the intrinsic core of Buddhism is peace, the Gulf News said in an editorial today.
"The nation has been troubled by increasing incidents of rioting. The mosques that were destroyed were in Kachin and Bago, but Rakhine, where the minority Rohingya live, has seen senseless violence."
The editorial went on to say that the government of Aung San Suu Kyi has stood a silent spectator as the rioting has intensified and the Rohingya have been increasingly targeted. The UN has expressed its concern, but little is being done to rein in this wave of Buddhist nationalism. "This again is ironic, because Suu Kyi, who has spent years in prison championing the cause of the oppressed, must understand the plight of the Rohingya and yet she has moved slowly to find a solution to their problems. The Rohingya are stateless, have no rights, and the Buddhists of Rakhine want to label them illegal immigrants from Bangladesh," the paper added.
Suu Kyi was supposed to introduce reforms that would take Myanmar from the shackles of dictatorship to a vibrant democracy with a strong economy. The path to progress has not been smooth and the biggest hurdle has been religious violence. Suu Kyi must curb this violent wave of Buddhist nationalism. A UN official has expressed fears that the government will not investigate the destruction of the mosque, and has stressed that this is the wrong signal to send.
The paper concluded by saying, "The government must take a strong stance against violence; that instigating and committing atrocities against minorities will not be tolerated in Myanmar. Once the violence is wiped out, the nation will progress. Buddhists believe in karma; good actions bear fruit."
WAM/Hanaa/Moran