Myanmar Buddhist leaders examine ways to end sectarian violence
Reuters
2013-06-13
Views 217
Buddhist leaders and monks gather at a monastery in Yangon Thursday -- hoping to find a way to end the conflicts between Muslims and Buddhists in Myanmar.
They propose a new law -- which will grant individuals the right to change religions only if they choose to do so. As it stands now Burmese women who marry Muslims have to give up Buddhism -- the new law would change that.
(SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) MONK WIRATHU, MEMBER OF GROUP PROPOSING NATIONAL BUDDHIST PROTECTION LAW, SAYING:
"This law is my dream. I've given speeches like this in different places so that we could propose this law."
The meeting comes several weeks after the latest outbreak of sectarian violence that killed one man in the north of the country. About 1,200 Muslim residents were forced to find shelter at a Buddhist monastery after their homes were burned.
In March Religious unrest also erupted in the central part of the country killing at least 44 people over a course of three days.
They propose a new law -- which will grant individuals the right to change religions only if they choose to do so. As it stands now Burmese women who marry Muslims have to give up Buddhism -- the new law would change that.
(SOUNDBITE) (Burmese) MONK WIRATHU, MEMBER OF GROUP PROPOSING NATIONAL BUDDHIST PROTECTION LAW, SAYING:
"This law is my dream. I've given speeches like this in different places so that we could propose this law."
The meeting comes several weeks after the latest outbreak of sectarian violence that killed one man in the north of the country. About 1,200 Muslim residents were forced to find shelter at a Buddhist monastery after their homes were burned.
In March Religious unrest also erupted in the central part of the country killing at least 44 people over a course of three days.
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