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Could the terror attack in Bodh Gaya have any link to the Rohingya problem in Myanmar? Circumstantial evidence would appear to point in that direction particularly Lashkar-e-Toiba founder Hafiz Saeeds twitter threats to strike on Buddhist holy places to avenge attacks on Muslims in Myanmar and Sri Lanka. If this is true, this would not be the first time that violence has been resorted to on Indian soil in reaction to Myanmars Rohingya problem. Some earlier incidents like a mob vandalizing the Buddha statue in the Buddha Park in Lucknow in August 2012 as a reaction to the treatment of their Muslim brethren in Assam and Myanmar suggests a dangerous trend. The Dalai Lama, it is reported, too received threats from extremist groups. Further, in October 2012 when suspected Indian Mujahideen (IM) operatives were arrested for their role in 2012 Pune blast they disclosed plans to target Hyderabad, and Bodh Gaya.
Myanmars challenge
Myanmar, going through a significant transitional phase, is faced with many challenges. Possibly the biggest challenge before the new democratizing government is that of ethnic reconciliation. In 2012, violence had broken out between Buddhists and Rohingyas in Rakhine State which left 192 dead and 140,000 displaced. In March this year violence spread to other parts of the country including Meikhtila (central Myanmar) where 44 people died and 13,000 were displaced. In the past, U Nu had declared Buddhism the state religion and Ne Wins Burmese way to socialism made for a curious combination of Buddhism, nationalism and socialism. The Saffron Revolution in 2007 was the biggest anti-government protest since the 1988 uprising, in which the monks (who number around 500,000)) took active part and the Shwedagon Pagoda (Yangon) once again came into spotlight. Then, as in
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1988 some of the protesters sought refuge by crossing the border into Indias northeastern states like Mizoram. The continuing violence against the Rohingyas mars Myanmars claims of reform. The Rohingya population (mainly concentrated in the Rakhine state) has been denied citizenship and has been discriminated against. It is confronted with a two child policy for the Rohingyas and a proposed legislation to ban Buddhists marrying Muslims. In addition the vitriolic pronouncements (directed against the Muslims) of the Mandalay based monk, Wirathu who leads the 969 Movement, have further inflamed a worsening situation. The national leadership, including Aung San Suu Kyi has not taken any forthright and bold position on this issue. With the holiest of Buddhist places of pilgrimage such as the Shwedagon Pagoda located in Yangon, Myanmar would have a vested interest in preserving its priceless heritage.
Regional Implications
Myanmars Buddhist majority nationalism has sometimes been compared with the situation in Sri Lanka under President Rajapaksa where the Muslim and Christian minorities feel increasingly threatened. As the original home of Buddhism, the conflict involving Buddhists in each of these countries does not augur well for the region especially for India which has a plural society. The Rohingya problem once again has called into question the ASEAN principle of noninterference in the internal affairs of its members. While the Buddhists are in a majority in Myanmar, they are in a minority in many neighbouring ASEAN States. The separatist movement in southern Thailand has made Buddhists their target. Buddhists have also been attacked in Malaysia and Indonesia. The volatile situation in Myanmar has the potential to create instability in Southeast Asia and the Myanmar government may be forced to rethink its Rohingya policy.
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Gaya in their itinerary. Not surprisingly, the Bihar government has demanded a professionally trained security force to guard the Bodh Gaya sites. The blasts there have come as a warning; luckily the damage to life and property was limited. Religious places and cultural sites are centres of huge gathering and conglomeration with visitors from all over the world. Given the crowd and the hustle and bustle such places become targets of terror attacks. Recently, the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad, regarded as the biggest human gathering, fortunately did not encounter any untoward incidents.
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