Wirathu told to accept preaching ban
The Ministry of Religion and Culture announced on March 11 that it would take action if the nationalist monk U Wirathu made remarks on social or traditional media criticising the one-year preaching ban issued by the Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee. The government-appointed body of high-ranking monks oversees and regulates the Myanmar's sangha or Buddhist clergy.
U Wirathu posted on his “Wira Thu” Facebook page on February 26 that he felt relieved after the murder of Ko Ni, the National League for Democracy's Muslim legal adviser. He thanked Kyi Lin, Aung Win Zaw and Zeya Phyo, who allegedly plotted the assassination and expressed sympathy to their families. He warned people who wanted to exclude the military representatives from Parliament and who wanted to amend the military-drafted 2008 Constitution to be careful.
"Don’t blame [his nationalist, religious group] the Ma Ba Tha if many killers like Kyi Lin appear. Our country still needs the military representatives, even if other countries don’t need them," he posted.
The monk also allegedly wrote Facebook comments that violated the Buddha’s teaching.
The official statement said Wirathu preached without permission in Kyoneku village tract of Ngaputaw Township in Ayeyarwady Region on February 9. The regional government asked the Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee on February 28 to ban his preaching or to take action against him as his preaching compared the NLD government negatively with its military-backed predecessors and spread religious hatred.
The Religious Affairs Department asked the Sanga committee to take action against Wirathu as his preaching contravened Buddhism and broke the committee's rules.
The committee banned Wirathu from preaching until March 9, 2018, informing all state and regional committees of the decision.
The announcement said action would be taken if the firebrand monk criticised the ban in the social or news media.
