understanding and grant them more control over narratives regarding
Islamic practice. The intention here is not to blame the victims, but to
recognize that increased understanding of what other religious traditions
practice or believe will be an important part of contesting rumor,
challenging prejudice, and eventually building trust between communities.
Both increased transparency in teaching and preaching and curriculum
reform will be important for all religions in Myanmar, both
to foster mutual understanding
and respect and to avoid targeting
only Islam as the source of current
conflicts. A standardized national
curriculum for Buddhist monastic
schools, for example, could
include accurate information on
other religions in Myanmar and their history in the country, and could
offer messages of tolerance and peace rooted in Buddhist teachings.
An important element of this curriculum could be the cultivation
of a deeper awareness of the structural links between language that demeans
other groups of people and language that incites violence against
them.