MYANMAR DENOUNCES TIME MAGAZINE COVER
Myanmar President Thein Sein has voiced his disapproval of the Time magazine cover that portrays famous Buddhist monk Wirathu, with the tagline “The Face of Buddhist Terror” below. Sein argued in a statement that the article could be “detrimental to the trust building between religions in Myanmar, and damage the image of Buddhism - which has been the main religion of Myanmar for thousands of years.” Over the past several months, Wirathu has become known for his 969 movement, which has come under fire for fomenting anti-Muslim sentiment within the country. The movement calls on Buddhists to boycott any Muslim-affiliated businesses. He has also recently campaigned for the passing of legislation that would prohibit Muslim men and Buddhist women from marrying. In his statement, President Thein Sein said: “Although the majority of Myanmar people are Buddhists, the Government has recognized in Section 362 of the constitution that Christianity, Islam, Hinduism and Animism as the existing religions in the country.” (The Hindu June 24, 2013)
PAK PM CALL FOR TREASON TRIAL FOR MUSHARRAF
Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has called for Pakistan’s high court to try former president and military ruler Pervez Musharraf on treason charges. "Musharraf's actions came under the purview of high treason," he told parliament. "He should face trial and answer his guilt before the court...Musharraf violated the constitution twice. He overthrew an elected government in 1999 and put everything into jeopardy. He sacked judges and imprisoned them," Sharif said on Monday. Musharraf previously overthrew Sharif, who was prime minister at the time, in a military coup in 1999. Musharraf recently returned to Pakistan from exile in an effort to revive his political career. He was arrested shortly after on charges that implicate him in the assassination of an ethnic Baluch leader in 2006 and has been on house arrest since mid-April. (Al Jazeera June 24, 2013)
PAK MILITANTS KILL CLIMBERS IN HIMALAYAS
A group of Taliban gunmen stormed the camp of a climbing expedition near the foot of mount Nanga Parbat, a common destination for experienced climbers. Among the 10 killed was one American and several Chinese. A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban said that the gunmen belonged to a Taliban affiliate named Jundul Hafsa, and that the attack was a response to an American drone attack that killed the deputy Taliban leader, Wali ur-Rehman, on May 29. The militants were reportedly disguised as paramilitary troops, and conducted a two-day hike over mountainous terrain to reach the climbing camp at 15,000 feet. Amjad Ayub, president of the Pakistan Association of Tour Operators, said the camp’s remoteness highlighted the determination of the attackers. “They seem to have been well prepared,” Mr. Ayub said. “Only the fittest can survive in that environment.” “It is not just an attack on tourists, it is an attack on Pakistan.” (New York Times June 24, 2013)
CHINA SCHOLAR CALLS TO REASSES TIBET POLICY
Chinese scholar, Jin Wei, who is director of ethnic and religious studies at the Central Party School in Beijing, has called for a “creative” new approach to the Communist Party’s strategies towards the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR). Robert Barnett, a professor of Tibetan studies at Columbia University in New York, describes Ms Jin’s intervention as a sign that, after two decades, “debate has re-emerged within China about the government’s hard-line policies in Tibet.” Ms. Jin even accused former party chiefs in Tibet of being “biased against the practice of religious affairs.” This, she said, “foreshadowed the accumulation of grievances today.” She admitted many of the grievances that plague the region are not politically based, but are more in response to the repression of Tibetan culture and religion. The creative new approach she suggested could include inviting the Dalai Lama to one of the semi-autonomous cities, such as Hong Kong or Macau. (The Economist June 24, 2013)
FOLLOWING KERRY, BIDEN TO VISIT INDIA
Vice President Biden will be visiting India in late July," U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry confirmed at a joint press conference with Indian External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. "Both of us are particularly eager and committed to taking this relationship to new heights." Biden’s visit will mark the highest-ranking US visit to India in four years. During his own visit, Secretary of State John Kerry touched on education, security, and economic policy. "The partnership between India and the United States is in fact more important than ever," Kerry said. ( Indus Business Journal June 27, 2013)