19th, June 2017
M-Media
Wirathu is using YouTube channel as an alternative way of spreading anti-Muslim hate speech after his Facebook accounts were blocked.
– Myanmar government doesn’t have any plan to take legal action against hate-monger monk Wira Thu’s derogatory remarks against Islam and its Prophet, local weekly Friday Times reported citing a source from Mandalay Regional government.
In his video ‘Defense against Jihadism (2)’ uploaded in You Tube channel on Jun 10th, Wirathu accused Muslim holy book of Quran encourage its follower to destroy holy statues and images of other faiths highlighting the acts of some Islamist militants in Philipines and Afghanistan.
He also insulted prophet Muhammed saying Islam was founded on violence by the Prophet.
“I have no idea about this video. We don’t have any instruction. We do need an instruction from Ma Ha Na (country’s highest religious authority) to handle this kind of case or we can take an action if we have someone who come and open a case.”, U Khin Maung Tint, chief officer of Regional Religious Department told Friday Times Journal.
Although Myanmar has enacted religious defamation law, it apparently seems to placate country’s Buddhist majority. In the past, Wirathu has repeatedly used his speech to attack Muslims citizens and Islam.
U Tin Maung Than, secretary of Islamic Religious Affairs Council Myanmar, said successive governments have turned a blind eye to their appeal to take proper action for the previous blasphemy cases against Islam.
“We must take our steps carefully when we deal with something that must be taken legal action to avoid negative consequences because most of the hate-mongers are kind of religious hypocrites. Their intention is to undermine peaceful coexistence, to spread hatred among different faiths and to fuel communal violence. So we have to be very careful for our response.” Friday Times cited as saying.
In early March, the country’s highest religious authority has banned Wira Thu from preaching for one year with the aim of preventing from spreading hate speech.
Wirathu and his followers have been trying to shape Islam as a threat to Buddhism in recent years exploiting the acts of global Islamist militants.
Since 2012, dozens of Mosques, hundreds of Muslims homes and Muslim owned businesses have been destroyed and burnt down across the country in the anti-Muslim violence by Buddhist nationalist while several Muslims were killed and thousands were displaced.
Source – Friday Times Weekly Journal
