Author Affiliation: S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS), Singapore.
摘要
This article examines the rise of radical Buddhism against the backdrop of the ongoing Rohingya crisis in Myanmar and episodic violence involving Buddhist extremist groups and Muslim minority communities in Sri Lanka. In this respect, three factors are important to consider: (i) a majority-minority construct that underpins religio-ethnic relations; (ii) the state-clergy nexus; and (iii) the inadequacy of state responses and counter-narratives. Radical Buddhist groups, such as the Bodu Bolu Sena (BBS) in Sri Lanka and Ma Ba Tha in Myanmar, justify intolerance, discrimination and violence against minority Muslim populations by using Theravada Buddhism, which is widely practised in South and Southeast Asia. If left unchecked, political violence will proliferate in Sri Lanka and Myanmar and could further spill over into nearby regions. As such, alternate narratives that support peace and religious pluralism need to be promoted. There is also a need for economic, political and social reforms to achieve long-term peace and stability.
目次
Synopsis 1 Introduction 1 Sri Lanka 2 Clergy’s Involvement in Politics 3 Rise of Ma Ba Tha in Myanmar 3 Myanmar’s State-Clergy Nexus 4 Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka and Myanmar 5 Counter-narratives and Outlook 5
