By KYAW PHYO THA 25
July 2017
For more than a
week, Myanmar ultra-nationalist monk U Wirathu has been defying government
orders to take down Ma Ba Tha signposts in Mandalay, where he remains a leading
member of the ultranationalist group.
On July 15, the
government’s deadline for removal of any Ma Ba Tha billboards, he said in a
video post: “We can’t take them down even for a while, as the dignity, power
and integrity of the Ma Ba Tha monks and patriots is behind those signposts. We
will protect them with our lives.”
It came across as an
open challenge to the National League for Democracy (NLD) government, after the
administration delivered its last warning on the eve of the deadline, saying,
“if the order is not followed, the government will take action,” and that a
refusal to comply “could affect the country’s stability.”
The authorities
should not turn a blind eye to the issue as that could potentially create an
even worse image of the state of rule of law in the country, making the current
government appear as a “paper tiger” in the eyes of the public.
It is perhaps
strange that out of hundreds of Ma Ba Tha subchapters across the country, only
followers in Mandalay and Karen State have dared to challenge the signpost
order. Even the chairman at Ma Ba Tha (Central) in Yangon agreed in writing to
adhere to the rule, and removed the signs in question. It rebranded itself
“Buddha Dhamma Parahita Foundation” before the deadline.
Senior monks from
the Ma Ba Tha headquarters said the decisions made by those in Mandalay and
Karen states were “individual” and did not reflect the beliefs of the
movement’s leadership.
They could be
correct, as U Wirathu declared he had officially resigned from Ma Ba Tha
(Central) on May 28, after the rebranding. He stated that his activities and
speeches have nothing to do with the Yangon-based foundation.
Zwekabin Sayadaw,
the chairman of Karen State’s Ma Ba Tha, asked on June 11 that Ma Ba Tha be
left alone. “We have four armed groups [that have to strike a peace deal with
the government] here. If needed, we will use them,” he said. Contrary to U
Wirathu, the Sayadaw is not infamous for hate speech against other faiths.
It remains to be
seen how the government will take action against U Wirathu this time. Since
last year, the NLD government has begun to crack down Ma Ba Tha and U Wirathu
systematically.
When the state
monks’ authority—Ma Ha Na—announced that Ma Ba Tha was not a lawful association
in July 2016, it was a significant blow. Since their establishment in 2013, the
association and its members, including U Wirathu, had never been questioned by
police, let alone arrested for hate speech against Muslims. The previous U
Thein Sein government arguably ignored them, despite a series of incidents of
deadly communal violence between Buddhists and Muslims. It is believed that U
Wirathu and other firebrand monks from Ma Ba Tha are partly responsible for the
tension and violence, and they are the one who give a bad name to the
compassionate Buddhism that much of the country believes in.
Since the
government’s denouncement, Ma Ba Tha has been keeping a lower profile,
dedicating more time to humanitarian relief for Buddhists and their education
efforts.
But U Wirathu is yet
defiant in the face of government orders. In March, he was banned from
preaching for one year due to his criticism of the current government,
religious hate speech put forward at a Dhamma talk, and praise on Facebook of
suspects involved in the assassination of NLD legal adviser U Ko Ni.
Despite the ban, he
appeared onstage with a recording of a past speech playing in the background,
and his mouth sealed shut with tape in what he called a “silent sermon.”
The latest rebellion
is his refusal to take down Ma Ba Tha signposts in Mandalay.
It is very evident
that the government has been taking calculated measures to punish U Wirathu. At
the moment, they appear to be weighing the consequences of further action,
including division among the Sangha, or widespread criticism from his
supporters nationwide.
Despite all the
obstacles, the government should not hesitate to proceed if the nationalist
monk fails to follow the existing order. They have warned that he will be
charged under the monastic association law, which dictates a term of
imprisonment from six months to three years. This course of action would send a
shock wave amongst nationalists across the country.
On the other hand,
the move will be welcomed heartily among the Buddhist community who have
despised him for spouting hate, instigating unrest and damaging the religion.
It will also serve as a serious warning to those who defy such orders, and
might even prod nationalists to learn a bit more about how to be good
Buddhists.