Buddhist Nationalism in Burma

“The reason for the decline of Buddhist monks’ involvement in political activism… [is the result of the] success of a campaign which used Buddhist nationalist sentiments against democracy and freedom of expression.”

Han Htoo Khant Paing has been ready for this moment for years. While the coup took many people by surprise, this Oxford University scholar had been pessimistic about where his country was going for years... and sadly, he was not incorrect. From the NLD's compromising ways to the inflated sense of Bamar superiority to the military's continued manipulation on the levers of power, for him, all the signs were there.

But as this quote indicates, it was not only issues in lay society that was keeping Han Htoo up at night, but also the perversion of the monastic order as well. With a mix of fear tactics and nationalist propaganda, the last decade saw a steep decline in Buddhist monks showing support for democracy, human rights, and inter-cultural and inter-religious dialog. To Han Htoo, this was also not an accident, but the intended result of a carefully calculated plan to separate the Sangha from the interests and welfare of the people.