In Myanmar, the Buddhist majority has been persecuting the Rohingya Muslims for years. However, now it seems that Buddhists are also being targeted for their faith.
Buddhism is the dominant religion in Myanmar, with over 80% of the population identifying as Buddhist. However, many Buddhists do not follow the same practices or beliefs as those in other countries. In recent years, some extremist groups have emerged who believe that Buddhism should be protected at all costs and that non-Buddhists should be excluded from society.
The persecution of Buddhists began in 2012 when a group of radical monks formed an organization called Ma Ba Tha. They claimed to protect Burmese Buddhism from foreign influence and accused Muslim communities of trying to spread Islam throughout Myanmar. This led to violent attacks on Muslim communities and heightened tensions between different religious groups.
However, this extremist group has now turned its attention to fellow Buddhists who do not share their views. The members of Ma Ba Tha have accused these individuals of being influenced by foreign cultures and practicing a diluted form of Buddhism. They have pressured businesses owned by these people to close down and even forced them out of their homes.
This targeting of fellow Buddhists is concerning because it shows how intolerance can spread within a community if left unchecked. It’s crucial that the international community speaks up against this persecution before it leads to more violence and discrimination against religious minorities in Myanmar.
In conclusion, while most media coverage focuses on the plight of persecuted Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar, we mustn’t forget about other religious minorities such as Christians or Hindus who’ve suffered similar abuse at various points too – including recently under military rule again since February 2021 after democratically elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted by a coup d’état carried out by General Min Aung Hlaing – but today we focused specifically on Buddhist persecution which deserves equal attention due to its potential to spark further violence and unrest in the region.