缅甸佛教徒与穆斯林冲突对其民主改革的影响

What the Buddhist Attacks on the Muslims May Tell about the Future of Burma

由缅甸总统吴登盛推动的民主化进程与2012年以来出现的针对缅甸罗兴亚人和其他穆斯林的迫害有着密切的联系。仇视性演讲以及佛教僧侣为首的反穆斯林运动使缅甸面临新的族群和宗教暴乱。可能是为了未来大选中佛教徒手中的选票,昂山素季和全国民主联盟不愿对此次新的人权侵犯行为或种族冲突表示抗议。缅甸军方可能借助民族主义来遏制民盟势力发展。缅甸的民主改革虽然赢得了普遍的赞誉,但佛教徒和穆斯林之间的分裂却日益加深。

The process of democratization started by Burmese president Thein Sein is closely related to the new waves of persecution of the Rohingya and other Muslims in Burma since 2012. Free speech led to uncontrolled hate speeches and anti-Muslim movement led by Buddhist monks. Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD are reluctant to protest against this new human rights violation,or ethnic cleansing,probably for fear of losing the 2015 election under the 2008 constitution. The Burmese military seems to have realized that its shift to multi-party politics could create third political forces,around the notion of 'nationalism',by which it could keep the NLD away from power and tame it. While the world' s business community applauds the succession of'reform'in Burma,the deepened cleavages between Buddhists and Muslims and the moral degradation of the NLD and its leader are alarming. The start of democratization by the military may have been looked suicidal at first,but it may paradoxically turn out to be the best way for its survival.