Avid readers of this blog (now maybe numbering in the
tens) will know that these posts tend to be extremely pessimistic. That being
said, even the most quixotic analysis of unfolding events in Burma and Sri
Lanka would find little to be positive about, especially in light of the new
agreement recently signed between two Buddhist supremacist groups in Asia.
Before getting into the details, as always some
backstory is required. This piece largely builds upon one of the inaugural Thiébault
Blog posts concerning “Burma’s Muslim Problem” or the persecution of Muslims by
Buddhist extremists in Burma. A brief synopsis of the situation will suffice
here. The 969 terrorist organization in Burma led by monk Ashin Wirathu has
fanned violence against Muslims in his country, killing hundreds and leaving
many more maimed and injured. Wirathu’s tactics and rhetoric, include warning
of Muslims who are kidnapping and raping Buddhist women, Muslims who want to
overrun and take over Burma, and claiming they are “armed to the teeth and
waging jihad” (all of which are patently untrue).
These tactics unfortunately have not gone unnoticed
and have been emulated by another group which rose to prominence at around the
same time (roughly in 2012), the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS). The BBS is based in Sri
Lanka and the name roughly translated means Buddhist Power Force. A relatively
innocuous traffic dispute between a Muslim and Bhuddist in Sri Lanka led to a
reaction which was incited by BBS’ leader and monk Galagoda Gnanasara. The
response was to gather a mob of around 7,000 to terrorize the Muslim community,
resulting in several dead (some Muslims were shot by police who as in Burma
simply watch events unfold). These events are becoming more commonplace in Sri
Lanka as they are in Burma
The similarities between these two groups has not gone
unnoticed by them. A few months ago 969 leader Wirathu gave an inflammatory and
repulsive speech in Colombo to the BBS. This lead to a formal agreement between
these two Buddhist supremacist groups to form an “international Buddhist
force”, with the hopes of fomenting other ties with possible future Buddhist
extremist organizations.
To say the reaction to these events has been muted
would be an exercise in understatement. There are several reasons for this.
First, nationally, both countries have Buddhist majority populations and
leaders have been afraid that speaking out could be politically harmful. Sri
Lanka’s government was mum in response to Muslim and Christian demands
(Christians have also been targeted by BBS) to deny Wirathu a visa. Perhaps
even more objectionable given her stature as a human rights paragon is Aung San
Suu Kyi’s silence on the issue. This again is done on her part for political
expediency.
The entire blame does not rest on representatives in
these countries however. As has been mentioned before, the narrative of
Buddhists carrying out extremism against Muslims does not sit well for Western
audiences. First, there is a parochial fixation with Islamic terrorism that
does not situate Muslims as victims well, or extremism by non-Muslims well
either. In addition, Buddhism has a perhaps unique role among major religions
as being venerated as being incapable of violence. Violence is supposed to be
anathema to Buddhists. This leads to a willful blindness with regards to
Buddhist extremism in Asia. An example that demonstrates this well is satirical
online show “The Onion”, last year in the midst of violence in Burma came out
with a video joking about Buddhist peacefulness entitled “Buddhist Extremist
Cell Vows to Unleash Tranquility on West”. A cursory glance at the comments
section shows no mention of the deep irony involved in a video making light of
the existence of Buddhist extremism while a violent Buddhist extremist group
was wreaking havoc in Burma.
It is almost unthinkable that
similar actions could occur, for example from Muslim groups formally working
together while simultaneously targeting Christians, or even other Muslims with
so little attention. No atrocities deserve to be carried out with impunity, and
the deafening silence surrounding Burmese and Sri Lankan victims is
unacceptable. These atrocities, and the terrifying prospect of their
intensification with this new pact deserve to be focused on, condemned, and
combatted by the entire international community. The fear now is that Muslim
minority communities in these countries may start retaliating and committing
heinous acts themselves, maybe then the world will notice.
