WUNRN
Myanmar – Parliament Approves Controversial Interfaith Marriage Law
Myanmar -
Buddhist devotees pour water on a sacred tree as they take part in a ceremony
at the Sdwedagon Pagoda to mark Buddha’s Birthday in Yangon on May 13.
July
7, 2015 - Lawmakers in Myanmar passed contentious
legislation that imposes restrictions on interfaith marriages in the
predominantly Buddhist country, despite opposition from rights advocates who
say it discriminates against women and Muslims in the conservative,
predominantly Buddhist country.
The law requires Buddhist women and men of other faiths to register their
intent to marry with local authorities, who will display a public notice of the
engagements. Couples can marry only if there are no objections; but if they
violate the law, they could face imprisonment.
Critics have argued that the legislation does not apply the law equally to all
people and flies in the face of domestic and international human rights
standards.
“This kind of law shouldn’t be issued by parliament because it is not an
essential law for all ethnic [groups] in Myanmar; it is just a law that
discriminates against ethnic people when it comes to religion,” said Zar Talam,
an ethnic Chin lawmaker from the Htantlang constituency of Chin state in
western Myanmar.
Proponents, however, say the law will protect Buddhist women who marry outside
their faith.
“This law was written for Myanmar Buddhist women who marry men from other
religions so they have equal rights in marriage, divorce, inheritance and
taking care of children, as well as have effective protection,” said Saw Hla
Tun, a member of parliament's Draft Law Committee.
The law is part of a series of four laws on marriage, religion, polygamy, and
family planning proposed by a Buddhist organization called the Association for
the Protection of Race and Religion, which is affiliated with a nationalist
Buddhist monk group.
Women’s groups and civil society organizations who have opposed the measure
issued a statement earlier this year, arguing that the draft law denied women
the inherent rights of freedom of survival and freedom of choice.
“We believe that current faith-based political activities, including the
arguments against interfaith marriage currently taking place in the country,
are not in accordance with the objectives of the peaceful coexistence of all
faiths and the prevention of extreme violence and conflict, but are instead
events and ideas designed to distract the public before the 2015 election,” the
statement said, referring to the general elections scheduled for
November.
Although the law does not mention any specific religion, it has prompted
speculation that it could be aimed at preventing Muslims from trying to coerce
Buddhist women into abandoning their faith for marriage or otherwise.
Last year, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and
New York-based Human Rights Watch condemned the four pieces of draft
legislation, saying they discriminated against non-Buddhists in religious
conversions, marriages, and births, and would encourage further repression and
violence against Muslims and other religious minorities.