Report by the Burmese Muslim Association (BMA)
The aim of this report is to track the rapidly growing anti Muslim activities in Burma.
Summary
The marriage law has been amended, reducing the punishment for breach of the law. The Lower House of Parliament has approved religion conversion law. President Thein Sein signed the population cap law, which is, among other things, aiming to pressure on Rohingyas and Muslims in general.
A Union Muslim Nationwide Conference was planned to be held on 23rd May 2015. Due to the immense pressure of MaBaTha and other extremist organisations, the authorities declined the application for the permit to organise the conference. However, surprisingly, authorities simultaneously approved the permission to organise an anti Muslim event and rally. Myanmar National Network, an ultra nationalist party sponsored the event. In fact, this matter exposed the unpleasant political atmosphere and the level of anti Muslim religious bigotry in Burma.
The Chairman of Peace and Diversity Party publicly incited violence against Rohingya boat people twice within a month, first on 23rd May at an anti Muslim public event and the second time on 27th May at an anti Rohingya boat people rally.
MaBaTha has been expanding its network day by day and becoming more effective and efficient. The organisation is now providing media and law training for anti Muslim activists, running Buddhist cultural classes for children, which is teaching anti Muslim sentiments, and publishing three monthly journals. The organisation also sponsored an anti Muslim movie, which has been released recently and available in
Burma.