Civil Unrest in Myanmar (Meiktila), Is religious conflict really the reason?

Hi folks, it's way past my bed time, yet here I am writing this as I cannot find peace in myself, let alone find will to sleep. Recent news about a riot-hit town of my country-of-birth, disturbed me greatly. The more I read the news, realization dawned on me that the media is focusing on an issue that is not urgently needed fixing nor very critical. "Flames raged from torched mosques, monasteries during Buddhist-Muslim clashes". Media will always be media, controversies and conflicts sell best. But are we looking at the right issue? Are religious conflicts really the reason behind this civil unrest? In this article, I want to point out a few things viewed from a different angle and by a man with human heart.

If you haven't been reading the news, here is the extract of what has been happening. "On Friday 22 March 2013, Myanmar President Thein Sein declared state of emergency and put up a curfew for riot-hit town of Meiktila. The death toll so far has been estimated at 20 and above, while 2 had been confirmed death. Since the beginning of the unrest, it had escalated from street mob fights to arson. Thousands of properties, religious buildings (of many religions) and homes were burnt down to ashes. Even to this hour and day, the Myanmar state police and government are still trying to get the situation under control."

Riots, arsons and looting broke out in the town of Meiktila, a centrally located town with estimated population of 100,000. This chain of incidents was sparked from a fight broke out as a result of business transaction between a Myanmar Buddhist and the shop owner of a Gold/Jewelry shop who happened to be a Muslim. One tried to sell his property and later found out that he was unfairly treated by the buyer. That angry person and group of people took justice to their hands and damaged a few buildings. And the other side retaliated likewise. From that point onward things had escalated to sever civil unrest.

As mentioned above, one thing about the news that disgust me is the fact that media (both western and asian alike) is putting the highlight as Buddhist-Muslim clashes, leaning towards the meaning and indirectly suggesting religious conflict. Even you readers sometimes seek after these kinds of news, right? I urge that you look beyond these atrocities, I cannot find the right word for it. I urge that you look beyond what the media is trying to sell for their own benefits and profits. Myanmar and her population had been peacefully coexisting since centuries ago; there are buddhists, muslims, christians and lately free-thinkers/atheists. Of course there had been incidents of civil unrests and riots, it is a country made of millions of people having millions of their own opinions, ideas and fundamentals.

They had been coexisting peacefully. Why now? One of the possible reasons I can think of is: "Liberation or Freedom from 20-odd-years of Government Oppression". Think of Myanmar as a big family with many sons. Sons were grounded for so long and finally after they are no longer grounded, they will try to find reasons to fight, to let out their anger/frustration they kept inside of them over the years. Now put this scenario into a much bigger scale. It is the responsibility of the father/mother of the family, government of the nation to put a control over this. And the war-hungry, crisis-hungry mongers take this opportunity to turn it into a worse situation whereby they will benefit. I asked these questions while reading the news.

"Why aren't they talking about lack of police enforcement?"

"Why was the fire station of the town unable to quell the fires?"

"What about the families that lost their homes?"

"What about the innocents?",

In my humblest and honest opinion, if there had been a proper and decent law enforcement, this would not have escalated this much. If there had been proper resources such as fire engines and other disaster-prevention aids, this would not have happened. This should be the way to focus and fix problems. If there was injustice, the culprits responsible should be apprehended by law, not take justice into their own hands. Violence begets violence, vengeance burns coldly and when people seek violent vengeance to one another, they are only burning themselves.

If you are reading this, I earnestly request that you view this matter as an incident whereby thousands of families losing their properties, innocents suffering from civil unrest of disastrous nature. When the heat of the moment is passed, no matter their religion, these people will need to be relocated, schools need to be rebuilt and shelters have to be provided. They need help from anyone who is willing to help. Please start helping by looking at the real issues that need fixing, not as the media-hyped Buddhist-Muslim conflict. Even your littlest of prayers (of any religion) and caring thoughts towards the victims won't do no harm in any way, I believe.

Please do share this post if you think in the same as I do.

P.S. I will be posting links/websites that are set up to help these victims, when they are available. Please do come back and check for updates, if you are willing to help another fellow human in their deepest of troubling times.


Credits and Photo courtesies to:
http://sg.news.yahoo.com/photos/graphic-locating-riot-hit-myanmar-town-meiktila-photo-110444597.html;
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/