July 7, 2013
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TEHRAN – Myanmar has welcomed Iran’s proposal to hold a dialogue
between Muslim and Buddhist religious scholars in order to help ease sectarian
strife in the south Asian country.
Visiting Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi put forth the
proposal during a meeting with Myanmar’s Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin on
Friday.
Araqchi expressed grave concern over the ongoing clashes between
Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims and the appalling situation of displaced
Muslims, urging Myanmar’s officials to take effective measure to help resolve
the conflicts.
The senior Iranian diplomat also said that Tehran was ready to
help Myanmar’s government settle the crisis and send humanitarian aid to the
affected people.
Sectarian clashes between Buddhists and Muslims have erupted on
several occasions.
Muslims make up about 5 percent of the nation’s roughly 60 million
people and are denied citizenship by Myanmar government.
The violence first flared in western Rakhine state last year, when
hundreds of people died in clashes between Buddhists and Muslims that drove
about 140,000 others, mostly Muslims, from their homes. Most are still living
in refugee camps, according to AP.
In a recent violence which occurred in May, a Buddhist mob set
fire to a Muslim school and orphanage, which was so badly charred that only two
walls remained. Police and other witnesses confirmed the school burning.
The most serious attacks took place in Rakhine state in the west
in June and October last year, when Buddhists fought against Rohingya Muslims,
who are denied citizenship by Myanmar and seen by many in the country as
illegal immigrants from Bangladesh. At least 192 people were killed.
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