In the country of Myanmar, or more commonly known as Burma, Rakhine Buddhists, led by Ashin Wirathu, are oppressing the Rohingya, or Burmese Muslims, who the UN deems are one of the most persecuted minorities in the world.
The Rakhine leader Ashin Wirathu has been dubbed the “Burmese bin Laden” for his actions.
These conflicting faiths in Burma are a result of the Rohingya trying to find safety on the shores of Burma, while the Buddhist monks perform violent acts toward them in what they believe is a way to preserve their cultural and national interests.
In June 2012, rioting broke out between the Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, leaving 200 dead.
In August 2013, rioters destroyed Muslim homes and shops after an argument with police authorities. 40 Rohingya individuals were killed in Rakhine state violence in January 2014.
Junior Kung Chen practices Buddhism and has family members currently in and from Burma.
“I believe that it is morally wrong for the monks to persecute the Rohingya Muslims,” Chen said. “I believe that Burmese culture and ideas should be protected, and I feel that the Rakhine monks may have overreacted in this situation.”
Ashin Wirathu rose to power in 2001, after making ties to an extremist organization known as Muslim 969.
He was sentenced to 25 years in prison in 2003, but was released later in 2010, where he began his rampage of hate crimes against Muslims.
Ashin Wirathu discouraged marriages as well as business between Buddhists and Muslims, and began delivering speeches about the Rohingya after he was released from imprisonment in 2012. In the same year, monks placed the Rohingya into camps comparable to the Nazi concentration camps. According to CBS News in 2014, the total number of deaths climbed to 280 Rohingya Muslims.
Biology teacher Ms. Khin Nu Thein who is Buddhist and has family in Burma, has faith that the problems created by this conflict can be solved.
“It takes two hands to clap; I personally think both sides need to reconcile and be accepting of each other, since they both have valid reasons for doing what they are doing,” Ms. Thein said. “I believe that both sides should be empathetic of each other and sit back and reconsider the effect their actions have.”
As the conflict between religious faiths rages on, the Burmese government is discussing ceasefire negotiations, being careful to take both the perspectives of the Rohingya refugees and the Buddhist monks into account.