Following
an interfaith meeting, leaders of over 50 religious and civic
organisations issued a 10-point statement, including an insertion the
the four major religions (Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Hindu) be
incorporated into school curriculums, as well as swift action against
those behind the country's recent riots.
The
interfaith meeting, organized by the National Social and Economic
Advisory Council to the President and Myanmar Peace Center (MPC), took
place at the peace center in Yangon yesterday.
In
the statement, the religious leaders said they strongly support the
televised speech made by President Thein Sein on Thursday. It is the
duty of all the citizens to make Myanmar a democratically-flourished
society in which people of different cultures, races and faiths coexist
peacefully, the statement said.
As
Myanmar embraces the right to freedom of religion, every citizen is
duty-bound to have mutual respect among their different religions. The
religious leaders also denounced the riots that broke out in Meikhtila
and other parts of the country and described them as a barrier to
Myanmar's democratic reform.
The
statement highlighted cooperation of not only the government and
regional authorities but also religious leaders, civic societies and
local people in preventing further violence. Therefore, the religious
leaders and those responsible from various organisations, which were all
present at the meeting, have vowed to cooperate each other, the
statement added.
The
statement also called on the government to take severe action against
those involved in the violence as it has earlier promised.
All
those in attendance at the meeting will cooperate with authorities as
it is very urgent to prevent the ongoing riots from spreading. Mutual
trust and reconciliation will be built between different religious
communities to heal their doubts, misunderstanding and emotional wounds.
The
statement also includes other points such as holding community
dialogues, organizing the people to accept that people of different
faiths live peacefully in the country and prescribing facts about
peaceful coexistence of different religions in school curriculums.
Venerable
Buddhist monk Dr Ashin Hsekeinda, who graced the meeting, said: "When I
was in riot-hit Meikhtila, I was distressed to see everything. I don't
want to see such situation any more. Those discussing at the meeting are
trying to solve the problem as they cherish the country. We discussed
the insertion of the four major religions in school curriculums because
we want to let next generations know the essence of those religions and
avoid similar conflict."
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