[Myanmar] State Media Publishes Statement By Muslim Group

Burma’s state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar published a statement by the All Myanmar Islam Association on Monday calling for a peaceful resolution of recent sectarian strife in Arakan State. The group said that “Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity and Islam have flourished in Myanmar,†and urged the followers of these religions to set aside their differences. The statement comes as Burma’s government moves to downplay the religious dimension of the conflict in the wake of sometimes violent protests in the Muslim world against the alleged ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims.