Mandalay religious leaders unite
By Phyo Wai Kyaw and Hlaing Kyaw Soe and Than Naing Soe | Monday, 17 June 2013Civil society activists aim to calm tensions in Mandalay by organising a peace ceremony led by influential Buddhist monks. The city's Committee for the Prevention of the Creation of Riots, whose members represent local religious groups, has planned the event for June 23.
Committee member Daw Win Mya Mya, who also represents the National League for Democracy, said the ceremony would take place at Dhamma Tharlar Hall on the corner of 84th Street and 32nd Street in Chan Aye Thar San township.
"To prevent possible riots, we have invited influential monks to take the lead in calling on the public for peace. We will invite all religions to take part," said Daw Win Mya Mya.
"We all respect the monks and follow what they say. If we take this action in Mandalay, other cities could follow. I believe that there are some people who want to create riots, and a ceremony of this kind could reduce the risk of that happening," said U Nyi Nyi Kyaw, a Muslim member of the committee.
The announcement of the ceremony comes after many parents in Mandalay pulled their children out of school earlier this month because of rumours that religious riots were about to erupt. The rumours are thought to have started from a group of youths on motorcycles who reportedly shouted threatening remarks outside some schools.
"We heard that some guys on motorcycles shouted remarks and rode off. It was not clear what they said. But some parents became worried and tried to take their children home. We calmed the situation and now we're investigating who shouted the remarks," Mandalay Region police chief U Soe Nyein said on June 5.
He said the schools had remained open because no incidents had been reported and they did not want to alarm parents further.
Committee member U Thein Win Aung, who is also Muslim, said he thought the rumours about violence at the schools had been spread to induce a riot. He said some parents had been so alarmed at the news that they raced to schools with weapons in order to protect their children. "The people who started these rumours are despicable," he said, adding that it was just the latest in a series of rumours seemingly aimed at creating religious tension.
In a separate development, Mandalay-based organisation Sein Yaung So held a ceremony at Dhamma Tharlar Hall to mark the second anniversary of the resumption of hostilities in Kachin State.
"Today marks two years since war returned to Kachin State. We saw a ray of hope when all the armed groups, including the KIO and the KIA, came to the negotiating table. Though we still hear gunfire in the state, this year could bring more positive results than last year. But I believe the situation is becoming more complicated and serious. The public and civil society organisations should help support the peace process as much as they can," said the group's leader, U Tin Thit.
"I organised this event to encourage the emergence of true peace and to end the war as soon as possible."
Participants sang peace songs and spoke in favour of ending the fighting. Sein Yaung So secretary U Maung Maung Oo said that the return of the armed groups to the negotiating table after the 60-year-long civil war was a good sign, and should lead to genuine peace based on equality for all ethnic groups.
Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2013/06/29/mandalay-religious-leaders-unite/
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