The monks divided over Myanmar's coup - BBC News

 

Thousands of people have been arrested, and hundreds killed, during protests in Myanmar. Buddhist monks have a lot of influence in the country and some have joined the protests, while others support the military.

China To Test Tibetan Monks For Patriotism

In an effort to insure that Buddhism is killed off in Tibet the Chinese Communist government has announced testing will be required for all Tibetan monks and nuns to insure they are patriotic.  In others their religion is the Communist party and not Buddhism. 

China’s top official in Tibet vowed on Wednesday to evaluate Buddhist monks and nuns for their “patriotism” and install national flags in monasteries to strengthen ideological control in the region.
The ruling Communist party will deepen “assessment activities” to ensure “model harmonious monasteries” as well as “patriotic, law-abiding monks and nuns”, the region’s party chief Chen Quanguo wrote in the People’s Daily newspaper.
It was not clear on what grounds the assessments would be made. China often uses terms such as “patriotic” and “harmonious” to mean allegiance to political authorities.
The drive would be aimed at making monks and nuns “feel the warmth and care of the Party and government”, Chen added

"The love and warmth of the party"   Making them party hacks is more important than say? Thinking for one's self or having individual religious beliefs.  

Child's view of Burma's horror: Crayon drawings that show the trauma faced by children forced to flee ethnic violence in Burma

Drawings by the children of 140,000 Muslim refugees show the level of ethnic violence in Myanmar

By Mohammed, an 11-year-old boy from Kyuak Phuyu: 'The houses were attacked by Buddhists and monks. They tried to defend the mosque'

By Maung Soe, 10, a boy from Kyaung Gyi Lan in Sittwe

By Maung Thi Ling, 11, a boy from Narzi Village in Sittwe

By Shashida,18-year-old woman from Kyuak Phuyuh: 'The mosque was also attacked. People ran to their boats but some were set on fire.'

One drawing shows houses on fire, the sky black with smoke. Another portrays gunmen firing their weapons.
All contain images of people fleeing, frantically clambering into boats and leaving their homes.
They are drawn in crayon by children.
The drawings shared with The Independent reveals the trauma of Burma’s Rohingya Muslims. In particular, it reveals the pain of the tens of thousands of children forced to flee ethnic violence and take refuge in hastily constructed camps. Many were killed or otherwise died along the way.
“Our house was set on fire with a petrol. The paramilitary police shot at people escaping,” 15-year-old Shwe Tun Naing, from Narzi village, told an aid-worker. “A Buddhist monk cut the arm off a Muslim who was escaping. Police fired guns, cut with swords, kicked, used catapults and bows and arrows to kill.  It was very hot.”

Burma riots: Video shows police failing to stop attack

The BBC has obtained police video showing officers standing by while Buddhist rioters attacked minority Muslims in the town of Meiktila.

The footage shows a mob destroying a Muslim gold shop and then setting fire to houses. A man thought to be a Muslim is seen on fire.

It was filmed last month, when at least 43 people were killed in Meiktila.

Meanwhile the EU is expected to decide whether to lift sanctions imposed on Burma, in response to recent reforms.

It is thought likely that despite concerns about the treatment of minorities, Brussels will confirm that the sanctions, which were suspended a year ago, are now permanently lifted.