Tactics story
Solidarity leads authorities to act, Myanmar

Tactic: Call for help and warn

In 2019, an armed mob of over 100 Buddhist ultra-nationalists in Yangon threatened Muslims who were gathering at three officially sanctioned temporary prayer houses during Ramadan. Local Muslim leaders were forced to sign a statement agreeing not to hold prayer gatherings and, under pressure from the mob, the local authorities shuttered the prayer houses.

Activists and high-profile Buddhist monks responded immediately by visiting the affected Muslim communities, giving them white roses as a gesture of solidarity. The White Rose Campaign, primarily led by young Buddhist activists, gathered momentum through social media, spreading to other towns and cities. Meanwhile, leaders from Religions for Peace Myanmar approached the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture, urging the re-opening of the prayer houses, which took place within 24 hours.

Source: Kyaw Win, Burma Human Rights Network, bhrn.org.uk