Myanmar late Tuesday banned a controversial Time magazine cover story on Buddhist-Muslim religious violence "to prevent further conflict", according to a government spokesman, after days of angry reaction to the article.
The ban of the piece, which carried a front page photograph of a prominent radical Buddhist monk accused of fuelling anti-Muslim violence with the headline 'The Face of Buddhist Terror', comes despite the apparent easing of censorship rules in a reforming nation whose former military regime closely controlled the media.
Government spokesman Ye Htut posted news of the ban on his Facebook page, attributing the decision to a committee investigating deadly religious violence that has rocked the country as it undergoes democratic reforms.
"The article entitled 'The Face of Buddhist Terror' in TIME magazine July 1 issue is prohibited from being produced, sold or and distributed in original copy or photocopy in order to prevent further racial and religious conflicts," Ye Htut's post said, adding that further details will be in Wednesday's newspapers.
It was unclear how the front cover and accompanying article will be censored in print and online. Under the junta articles deemed inflammatory or dissenting were often torn from newspapers and magazines or inked out altogether.
Social media users in the former junta-ruled nation have voiced dismay at the front page, which shows a photograph of Mandalay monk Wirathu, whose anti-Muslim remarks have come under scrutiny following a wave of deadly religious violence.
The presidential office on Sunday said it "creates a misunderstanding of Buddhism" and undercut efforts to dampen tensions after two major bouts of violence in which scores have died -- mainly Muslims -- and thousands been driven from their homes by mobs.
The use of the words "Buddhist" and "Terror" in the article upset all followers of the faith, which is peaceful "and not for terrorists," a message accompanying an online petition which had garnered more than 60,000 names said late Tuesday.
Eye-witnesses to violence which flared in March in central Myanmar said people dressed in monks' robes were involved in the unrest.
Radical monks have led a campaign to shun shops owned by Muslims. Wirathu has also called for a law to restrict marriages between Buddhist women and men of other faiths.
Senior monks, however, have accused foreign media of one-sided reporting of the Buddhist-Muslim conflict.
Several episodes of religious fighting have exposed deep rifts in the Buddhist-majority country and cast a shadow over widely praised political reforms since military rule ended two years ago.
In March at least 44 people were killed in sectarian strife in central Myanmar with thousands of homes set ablaze.
Communal unrest last year in the western state of Rakhine left about 200 people dead and up to 140,000 displaced, mainly Rohingya Muslims.
AFP
Wed Jun 26 2013
Seorang ahli GISB akan dituduh di Mahkamah Majistret Putrajaya esok
Individu terbabit akan didakwa di bawah Seksyen 506 Kanun Keseksaan.
'Abang Bas' bebas selepas bayar ikat jamin RM40,000
'Abang Bas' yang ditahan di Pusat Koreksional, Muar, sejak Selasa lalu kerana gagal membayar ikat jamin keseluruhan berjumlah RM40,000 dibebaskan, selepas membayar semua bayaran.
10 Berita Pilihan - (17 September 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
AWANI Ringkas: PN tolak draf MoU kerana ada niat tersirat - Muhyiddin
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
Ahmad Zahid gesa pemain industri TVET sokong ekosistem industri halal
Ahmad Zahid berkata kewujudan lebih ramai bakat dan pakar dalam sektor halal akan mengukuhkan lagi peranan Malaysia sebagai peneraju global dalam industri.
#AWANIRingkas 17 September 2024 | 9 PM
Berikut merupakan rangkuman berita setakat 9 malam, 17 September 2024
1️⃣ PN tolak draf MoU kerana ada niat tersirat - Muhyiddin
2️⃣ Banjir: cuti anggota, pegawai bomba Kedah dibekukan
3️⃣ 'Abang bas' bebas selepas bayar ikat jamin RM40,000
#awaniringkas
1️⃣ PN tolak draf MoU kerana ada niat tersirat - Muhyiddin
2️⃣ Banjir: cuti anggota, pegawai bomba Kedah dibekukan
3️⃣ 'Abang bas' bebas selepas bayar ikat jamin RM40,000
#awaniringkas
Peruntukan pembangkang, pembangunan kawasan parlimen wajar diperundangkan - Pakar
Mantan Ahli Tetap Jawatankuasa Reformasi Pilihan Raya (ERC), Dr. G Manimaran berkata peruntukan kepada pembangkang dan dana pembangunan kawasan parlimen wajar untuk diperundangkan berbanding dibuat secara Perjanjian Persefahaman (MoU) semata-mata. Pada masa yang sama, beliau berpendapat sikap pembangkang terhadap MoU yang ditawarkan Kerajaan Perpaduan ketika ini bersifat politik semata-mata. #AgendaAWANI
MoU peruntukan pembangkang berat sebelah, sepatutnya digubal undang-undang khusus - Pakar
Timbalan Ketua (Strategi) Ibu Pejabat Asia UNSDSN, Universiti Sunway, Prof. Wong Chin Huat berkata Perjanjian Persefahaman (MoU) peruntukan pembangkang yang ada ketika ini disifatkan berat sebelah memandangkan hanya menyentuh mengenai pengisytiharan harta oleh pembangkang sahaja. Jelasnya, hal tersebut sepatutnya dilakukan secara saksama oleh semua ahli parlimen dan dilakukan berdasarkan satu Akta khusus berbanding sekadar dalam bentuk MoU. #AgendaAWANI
Negara luar minat labur di Malaysia mahu pengiktirafan JAKIM
Bagi menjayakan usaha ini, beliau telah membuat rancangan dengan kerajaan negeri untuk menyediakan tanah yang akan dibeli atau disewa bagi membolehkan kilang berkenaan didirikan.
Ribut tropika Pulasan mungkin hampiri barat daya Jepun - Agensi cuaca
Menurut agensi cuaca Jepun pada Selasa, ribut tropika besar yang semakin kuat mungkin menghampiri wilayah Okinawa dan kawasan Amami di wilayah Kagoshima di barat daya Jepun pada Rabu.