Statement on Religious and Ethnic Violence that has Occurred in Myanmar

By 48 Myanmar civil society organizations • May 15, 2013

1. We, youth representatives of all religions, strongly condemn any insult or desecration for any reason of the national flag, which is of utmost importance to our nation.

2. We, youth representatives of all religions, including Myanmar Islam youth, unreservedly oppose the manipulative use of the Quran by those from overseas for the purpose of agitation of any kind causing outbreaks of violence.

3. We, youth representatives of all religions, including Myanmar Buddhist youth, unreservedly oppose the perpetration of violence and agitation of any kind causing outbreaks of violence and goes against the teaching of Buddha.

4. We, youth representatives of all religions, strongly condemn the people, both local and from overseas, who are operating in various means to conduct activities of agitation with the intention of intensifying religious and ethnic violence.

5. We, youth representatives of all religions, and (undersigned) civil society organizations do not want any kind of violence and therefore call on relevant stakeholders to take more serious measures, under national law, for the enforcement of the rule of law and for the assurance of equal rights without discrimination based on religion and ethnicity.

6. We would like to declare that we utterly support and stand with the people, religious practitioners, and religious leaders who uphold the values and obey the teaching of their respective religions and would like to live peaceful lives.

7. We strongly call on responsible authorities to urgently investigate and take legal action against people who commit violence and cause destruction in the streets, as well as those perpetrators who are controlling from behind the scenes.

American Center Interfaith Club (ACIC)
Brave New Burma
Burma Partnership
Chin Youth Forum
Community Management Center
Community Response Group (Com Reg)
CSOs-IFI-Watch-Myanmar
Gender and Development Initiative-Myanmar
Interfaith Youth Coalition on Aids in Myanmar (IYCA-Myanmar)
Kachin Peace Network
Kachin Women Peace Network
Mizzima Youth Network (MYN)
Myanmar Environment & Social Network
Myanmar ICT Development Organization (MIDO)
Myanmar Muslim Students Youth (MMSY)
Myanmar Youth Contributive Organization (MYCO)
Myanmar Youth Empowerment Programme (Myanmar Y.E.P)
Myanmar Youth Resource Society (MYRS)
National Good-governance Individuals (NGI)
Peace Cultivation Network (PCN)
Peace Machine Group
Pray For Myanmar
Public Welfare Network
Radiance Alliance For Social Care
Rainfall Gender Support Group
Safety Net
Smile Education
Spectrum Sustainable Development Knowledge Network (Spectrum SDKN)
Triangle Women Support Group
Vatan Resource Center
Volunteer Action Group (VAG)
Women Organization Network
Yangon Youth Network
Youth Resource Development Programme (YRDP Myanmar)
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