Buddhists and Muslims at War – violence spreads into other countries

Buddhists and Muslims at War – violence spreads into other countries

Violence is spreading as Buddhists and Muslims that clashed in Myanmar are now at war in Indonesia.

On Friday, Rioters using wooden sticks, knives and iron bars confronted each other in Sumatra in what was seen as an extension of violent events that are taking place in Bangladesh and in Myanmar.

UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, called on Indonesian authorities to prevent more bloodshed.

An estimated 800,000 Rohingyas live in Myanmar but are officially stateless. The Myanmar government refuses to award them citizenship, regarding them as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, and Bangladesh does not recognise them as citizens either.

The irony and the real tragedy in this series of events is that, as indicated in the preceding paragraph, Rohingya Muslims are rejected by Bangladesh, a country that has a Muslim majority.

So it is a bit hypocritical for Muslim countries and Muslim comunity leaders to go around talking about 'Muslim Brothers'.