Interfaith marriage bill condemned

The European Union and Human Rights Watch condemned Myanmar’s decision last week to pass the interfaith marriage law.
In a statement, the EU said Myanmar appears not to respect international human rights standards and to run counter to its own human rights treaty obligations.
"The bill discriminates against women by placing restrictions on Buddhist women's right to marry outside their religion. It discriminates against religious minorities and also non-Buddhist men," it said.
The Parliament on July 7 passed the Buddhist Women's Special Marriage Bill, the second of four in a package of laws referred to as the "race and religion protection bills". To the EU, all the four bills could further infringe on the rights of marginalised members of ethno-religious minorities and undermine the transition towards national reconciliation and an open democratic society.
President Thein Sein has 14 days from when the bill was passed to sign it or return it with suggested changes.
In an e-mail to Associated Press, Phil Robertson, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Asia division of New York-based Human Rights Watch said: "It's shocking that Burma's parliament has passed yet another incredibly dangerous law, this time legislating clearly discriminatory provisions targeting the rights of religious minority men and Buddhist women to marry who they wish without interference.”
 He added that if sectarian violence flares again like it did in 2012, "then these legislators will have blood on their hands."