ReliefWeb

Since 2011, Myanmar has been praised by the international community for taking steps to a more open and democratic society. Progress has included the release of Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest and her appointment to parliamentary representative. Political agreements have been signed with insurgent ethnic group in border areas, media censorship has been relaxed and revised economic policies have begun to attract millions of dollars in foreign investment.

All of this is a huge step forward for peace and there is much to be celebrated, but there is still work to be done. Ethnic violence erupted between Buddhist and Muslim communities in Rakhine State in 2012 and was reported by Human Rights Watch as a ‘campaign of ethnic cleansing’. Then, earlier this year, Buddhist mobs attacked Muslims in at least six towns across Myanmar. This left many Muslims afraid to attend the mosque or even to send their children to school or out to play.

Efforts were made to defuse tensions - and Cord’s partner, Smile Education and Development Foundation, organised the first ever public forum on Buddhist/Muslim harmony. The forum was held on Saturday 7th September, in conjunction with other local organisations, and attracted a large crowd of Muslims and Buddhists, all keen to hear the panel of speakers that included a Muslim academic, a writer and civil empowerment activist, and a Buddhist monk.

Myo Win, executive director of Smile, was greatly encouraged by the high attendance. He said, “We hope that the outcome will be better relations between the Muslim and Buddhist communities.”

Cord’s Senior Capacity Development Officer, Mra Sabai Nyun, said, “Everyone has a different point of view, and they need to learn how to express it and to listen to opposing views. In Myanmar, we don’t have the practice of doing this publicly. But today there were around 350 people here, and there is a clear need to do more and more of this.”

“There’s so much that Cord can do here to promote peaceful development,” said country director Michael Gabriel. “We’ve only just begun.”