“We are marching together within every religion! Everyone can join with us!”
If you were out in Yangon on Saturday you may have heard these words drifting through the streets from Tamwe Township to Sule Pagoda downtown.
They were shouted by a man at the head of an interfaith rally of around 200 people that was organized by students from the Yangon School of Political Science in response to disturbing anti-Islamic incidents in recent weeks.
It was a beautiful, peaceful, inspiring march, but it could get the organizers into hot water, according to the Myanmar Times, which quoted police saying they would seek charges as the route was not approved.
But if they were going to take action, why not on the day of? The participants kept to one side of the street, with police meeting them at different points and letting them pass.
They help signs saying “We are all human” and “Accept diversity promote tolerance.”
On the way they stopped at a mosque, a church and Hindu and Sikh temples to bow their heads in respect to Yangon’s diverse religious traditions.
The march, which started in the late afternoon, ended in front of City Hall and Sule Pagoda a few hours later.
Interfaith campaigns have been held before, but this was the first to occur under Aung San Suu Kyi’s new government, which took power on April 1.
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