By Irrawaddy
MANDALAY —
Ultranationalist monk U Wirathu released a video on Saturday, calling for Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD) government to step down.
The 11-minute video,
which U Wirathu issued on Facebook, came after the July 15 deadline set by the
State Buddhist Sangha authority (Ma Ha Na) for the Association for Protection
of Race and Religion (Ma Ba Tha) to remove their signboards.
Wirathu's video:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MirAhmedABSiddiquee/posts/AHTog5rCMJW
Ma Ha Na said last
year that Ma Ba Tha was not a “lawful monks’ association” as “it was not formed
in accordance with the country’s monastic rules.” Founded in 2014—two years
after Burma experienced religiously motivated riots largely targeting the
Muslim minority—and now with sub-chapters across the country, Ma Ba Tha has
become virtually synonymous with Buddhist nationalism.
Wirathu's video, must watch: https://youtu.be/vG1mq2Yq_qQ
The State Buddhist
Sangha authority banned Ma Ba Tha from operating under its current name on May
23 and ordered that all signboards be removed. Clerics from Ma Ba Tha signed
the notice but some sub-chapters have failed to comply.
“The NLD government
better step down. Don’t touch Ma Ba Tha. Ma Ba Tha is not the opposition. Ma Ba
Tha is protecting the nationality, which the government cannot do,” said U
Wirathu, in the video clip.
“Ma Ba Tha is the
association protecting the religion and Sasana. The government is not an expert
in that sector. Don’t blame on Ma Ba Tha and make it a culprit,” he said. “If
you [the government] think you are brave enough, be transparent and handover
the power to those who can well handle the country.”
The video message
followed a statement from the Ministry of Information that said the government
would take legal action against persons defying state orders, whether Buddhist
monk or layman.
The statement said
that the government had warned Ma Ba Tha chapters in Mandalay Division and
Karen State, which have refused to remove their signboards despite being
instructed to do so by the State Buddhist Sangha authority since May.
In his video
message, the nationalist monk said he had been patient when Yangon Chief
Minister U Phyo Min Thein said Ma Ba Tha was not needed in the country and when
the government banned him from delivering sermons for one year.
However, he said the
intention to eliminate Ma Ba Tha could not be forgiven and he was forced to
react.
“Ma Ba Tha is the
fortress of Theravada Buddhism. I will not let this fortress be destroyed. If
signboards of Ma Ba Tha fall, our religion and Sasana will disappear,” said he.
“I will protect it with my life.”
U Wirathu also
accused the NLD government of mismanaging the economy, stating that it has
declined since ex-President Thein Sein’s rule.
He also said that
the country’s Noble laureate was only just beginning to understand peace.
Peace is not easy as
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi thinks it is. Since she is starting to realize the
difficulties, she should admit this to the people, said U Wirathu.
The nationalist monk
said the country was better off under Thein Sein, when commodity prices were
low and there were plenty of goods in the market.
“In the past, we
were poor; however, it was nothing compared to under NLD rule. If the
government continues like this, more people will suffer,” he said in the video,
which was reacted to or shared on Facebook by nearly 8,000 netizens as of
Monday.
The government must
not put the blame on Ma Ba Tha to cover up their weakness, he said.
Meanwhile, at Kin
Wun Mingyi Monastery in Mandalay’s Maha Aung Myay Township, dozens of
nationalists are guarding the signboards at the local Ma Ba Tha office, in fear
of a police crackdown.
However, as of
Monday, no signs of a police crackdown or the forcible removal of signage were
seen. Nationalists asked journalists not to take photos or videos.