Clashes between Buddhists and Muslims in Myanmar have highlighted
the challenges that latent intercommunal tensions pose to the govern-
ment, as the reform process reveals old grievances that may be exploited
by those seeking to obstruct change. Fortunately, there are monastic
and lay voices in Myanmar advancing arguments that speak to the anxi-
ety of the current moment in a way that supports religious coexistence.
These voices can help entrench religious pluralism and stymie those
seeking to spoil the reform process. However, they remain few and far
between, seemingly drowned out by the voices of those affiliated with
the 969 movement and MaBaTha, whose messages are fueling inter-
religious conflict and conveying Buddhist superiority. Amplifying and
supporting the monastic voices that are able to criticize anti-Muslim
arguments and rhetoric on Buddhist grounds is crucial. Equally im-
portant is offering support in ways that are sensitive to the risks those