Hello and welcome to the details of Myanmar junta chief apologises after security forces shoot dead prominent Buddhist abbot and now with the details
Nevin Al Sukari - Sana'a - Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing has made a rare apology after security forces killed the popular abbot of a Buddhist monastery in an incident the military initially blamed on opponents of its coup. — AFP pic
YANGON, June 26 — Myanmar’s junta chief has made a rare apology after security forces killed the popular abbot of a Buddhist monastery in an incident the military initially blamed on opponents of its coup.
Sayadaw Bhaddanta Munindabhivamsa, 78, was a prominent teacher and author on Buddhism and head of a monastery that had publicly opposed the military’s 2021 coup that has plunged Myanmar into turmoil.
He was shot dead on June 19 as he travelled by car through central Mandalay region.
Junta-controlled media initially blamed opponents of its coup for the killing but the next day a senior monk who had been at the scene said security forces were responsible.
Advertisement
His accusation went viral on social media and the junta said it would investigate the incident.
“We are extremely heartbroken for losing Sayadaw Bhaddanta Munindabhivamsa,” junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said in a letter that was read out at the abbot’s monastery on Monday.
“We would like to give our sincere apology for this case,” the letter said.
Advertisement
The car the abbot had been travelling in had no religious markings on it, according to the letter, and had not slowed down at a checkpoint, leading junta troops to open fire.
An investigation would be carried out and the junta would take “action based on the facts.”
The abbot’s funeral would take place on Thursday
The military has long sought to portray itself as a protector of Buddhist identity, the majority religion in Myanmar.
Since seizing power in 2021 it has arrested and jailed locals and foreigners accused of “harming” Buddhism in its sweeping crackdown on dissent that has seen thousands jailed or killed, according to a local monitoring group.
But the clergy have also been at the forefront of political protests.
Huge demonstrations sparked by fuel price hikes in 2007 were led by monks, and the clergy also mobilised relief efforts after 2008’s devastating Cyclone Nargis and the inaction of a former junta. — AFP
These were the details of the news Myanmar junta chief apologises after security forces shoot dead prominent Buddhist abbot for this day. We hope that we have succeeded by giving you the full details and information. To follow all our news, you can subscribe to the alerts system or to one of our different systems to provide you with all that is new.
It is also worth noting that the original news has been published and is available at Malay Mail and the editorial team at AlKhaleej Today has confirmed it and it has been modified, and it may have been completely transferred or quoted from it and you can read and follow this news from its main source.
