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SLORC's Anti-Muslim Campaign



Date: 23rd October 1996
                                    

                              PRESS RELEASE
                                      

                         
                         
                         SLORC CREATES RELIGIOUS CONFLICT BETWEEN BUDDHIST-MUSLIM
COMMUNITIES IN BURMA
               

Anti-Muslim leaflets currently being distributed in Rangoon
obtained by the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), is
the latest effort by the State Law and Order Restoration Council
(SLORC), to divide the Muslim-Buddhist communities in Burma. The
regime has turned a blind eye to the distribution of these leaflets
which accuse all Muslims of wanting to expand their territory, and
of "unscrupulously" organizing non-Muslims such as Burmese Buddhist
to join their sect in order to gain control of the entire country.
The pamphlets also ascertain that once the State of Islam has
gained control of the entire nation, Burma will become like
Malaysia and Indonesia where Buddhism once flourished before the
Muslim takeover. These inflammatory leaflets include the urging for
all Burmese Buddhists to:

* uphold good moral and ethical conducts
* preserve the culture, historical heritage, sense of nationality
(Burmese), and national characteristics
* uphold patriotism 
* promote standards of health care and education, and solidarity
* boycott all Muslim stores
* not to marry Muslim girls

Martial Law was declared in early October in Kyauk Padaung, a town
in central Burma citing a conflict between the believers of two
religions. Tensions have been mounting between the two communities
with the SLORC responsible for heightening the situations an effort
to divert the mounting anger and dissatisfaction of the general
population, away from them especially during a crisis situation.
Tactics such as these assist the regime in justifying their use of
violent and oppressive methods to quieten the dissent of the
various forces inside the country struggling for the restoration of
democracy and human rights.

In March 1988 and before the general uprising on August 8th in the 
wake of the crackdown on the student movement, the military was
responsible for religious conflicts resulting in clashes between
Buddhist and Muslim communities in Taung Gyi (Shan State), Prome
(Pegu Division), and Tat Gone (Mandalay). In addition the
persecution of thousands of Rohingya Muslims in Burma's western
Arakan State is testament to religious suppression and manipulation
of Buddhist Arakans by the SLORC to achieve their objectives
through the tactic of divide and rule.

The ABSDF strongly urge all citizens of Burma to respect each
others religious beliefs and learn lessons from past mistakes
created by the military regime. We appeal to the international
community to double their efforts in assisting the Burmese people
and to pressure the SLORC in order that Burma can be established as
a 'plural society' based on democratic values.


Please note: Copies of these leaflets are available at the
following number:

Aung Naing Oo
Secretary of Foreign Affairs


Tel/Fax: 66-2-300 0631

888888888888888

The following is the translation of a copy of unsigned letters
being circulated in Rangoon attacking the Muslims 


Burmese Citizens - Beware! 
     
The Muslims living in Burma are attempting to expand their religion
while destroying Buddhism in Burma by using these following ways. 
(1) Land: All the land in the country shall be owned by the           
Muslims.
(2) Money: To organize Buddhists to become Muslims using the                              power
of money, 
(3) Women: To organize the Buddhist women to get married with               
           Muslim using money and other ways.
(4) Doctrine: To preach Muslim doctrine in every place.                         
(5) State power: After successfully using these above methods                   and
                 majority of people become Muslim, to take the
state power. In addition to these five methods, try to mix Muslim
blood into the Burmese Buddhist.
     
Anyone who can get married with a Burmese girl shall be awarded,
please try. Please contact with mosques if you need anything to
accomplish these goals. Please buy things from the shops with
Muslim symbol (786). Don't consume anything from the non-Muslim
shops.

Muslim are launching this bloody tactic to become Burma as the
Muslim country in the future. The symbol (786) means that the
Muslims will turn all the countries including Burma around the
world into Muslim countries by 21st century, according to the page
30-500 of Religious Guide book written by Mohammed Ali Smat. Please
note that 7+8+6 is 21).

Malaysia and Indonesia were once Buddhist countries in history, but
unfortunately the Muslims used these methods so successfully that
they have become Muslim countries;  Buddhism was disappeared from
these countries. In 1860, Muslims committed massacre of hundreds of
thousands of Christians in Lebanon. During the rein of "Sher"
dynasty in Iran, members of different religions were discriminated.

The five times daily gathering in mosque is to help Muslims  share
the information regarding business opportunities and other
advantages so as to further their aims. There are large number of
Muslims in Burma that clearly express that Muslim are applying
these methods in Burma successfully.

To Burmese citizens, I would like to recommend you to: 
-Defend our religion from the destructive methods by the                    
Muslim,
-Do not sell the lands to Muslim,
-Do not buy anything from the shops with '786' Muslim symbols,
-Buy food and other things from the shops owned by Buddhists,
-Don't use the sidecar (trishaw), horse cart and cars serviced by
Muslim,
-Do not get jobs such as house maids in Muslims houses,
-Don't get married with Muslims,
-Don't' behave like fish which do not see the bait.
-Don't let your greed for money be destructive for our religion,
-Safeguard Buddhism in Burma,
-Bear in mind the danger of Muslim and defend the our own         
religion,
-Bear in mind that four social causes adopted by State Government
(SLORC) must be accomplished. These causes are" 1) to uphold good
moral and ethical conducts 2) to preserve the culture, historical
heritage, sense of nationality (Burmese), and national
characteristics 3) uphold patriotism 4) promote standards of health
care an education, and solidarity. 

Please distribute this leaflet as much as you can. 


Translated by the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF)