“When Wirathu hunts with the hounds (military) while running with the hares (Muslims), blood stains the ground. Only law can cleanse it.” Quote DARZKKG

The Monk Who Weaponized Hate: Unmasking Wirathu’s Military-Backed Reign of Terror

By Legal Advocacy & Accountability Review Committee (LAARC)

The Facade of Faith
Ashin Wirathu, the firebrand monk whose face once graced Time magazine’s cover as “The Face of Buddhist Terror,” is not a rogue cleric driven by religious fervor. He is a calculated operative of Myanmar’s military junta, meticulously groomed to incite genocide against Muslims. Evidence proves his direct coordination with Military Intelligence (MIS) since at least 2003—exposed by foreign journalists who documented his role as an agent provocateur. His mission: to cloak state-sponsored ethnic cleansing in the robes of Buddhism.

The Mechanics of a Manufactured Crisis

1. Military Intelligence’s Trojan Horse
   • Wirathu’s 969 Movement and Ma Ba Tha ultranationalist network were created and funded by military hardliners under dictator Than Shwe’s regime. Internal memos reveal MIS chief Khin Nyunt oversaw Wirathu’s rise, embedding him as a “spiritual” mouthpiece to radicalize Buddhists.
   • His sermons—calling Muslims “mad dogs,” advocating boycotts, and urging violence—were disseminated nationwide via state-controlled media.
2. Blueprint for Massacre: The Meiktila Template
   • In March 2013, Wirathu’s hate speech ignited the Meiktila massacre, where Buddhist mobs slaughtered 40+ Muslims, burned homes, and desecrated mosques. Survivor testimonies and AP photos confirm:
     • Police stood idle as armed gangs marked Muslim homes with ink.
     • Local officials (including Mandalay Mayor U Ye Myint) coordinated with Wirathu to block humanitarian aid.
     • Military-linked politician U Aung Thaung supplied weapons to rioters.
   • This was not “communal violence”—it was a state-orchestrated purge executed under Wirathu’s spiritual cover.
3. The Axis of Evil
   Wirathu operated within a military-political nexus:
   • President Thein Sein praised him as a “son of Buddha” in 2013.
   • General Khin Nyunt deployed MIS resources to amplify his hate campaigns.
   • U Aung Thaung (sanctioned by the U.S. for undermining reforms) funded Wirathu’s rallies.
   • Together, they weaponized Buddhism to justify apartheid: the 1982 Citizenship Law, “Race and Religion Protection Laws,” and Rohingya genocide.

International Law: Holding the Enablers Accountable

• Crimes Against Humanity (Rome Statute, Article 7): Wirathu’s speeches constitute direct incitement to genocide. His calls for “ethnic cleansing” and religious exclusion meet the threshold for persecution.
• Command Responsibility: Military sponsors (Khin Nyunt, Than Shwe) bear liability for enabling his actions.
• Universal Jurisdiction: States like Malaysia/Bangladesh can prosecute Wirathu for cross-border incitement impacting refugees.

The Unfinished Reckoning

Despite a 2017 arrest for sedition (a token gesture), Wirathu remains shielded by the same generals he served. His legacy endures in:

• Ongoing Rohingya refugee crises.
• Military-backed hate groups rebranded as “Buddhist Power Networks.”
• Global inaction that treats him as a “radical monk”—not a genocide architect.

Conclusion: Tear Off the Robe
Wirathu’s impunity symbolizes Myanmar’s culture of state-sponsored terror. Justice requires:

1. ICC indictments against Wirathu and his military handlers.
2. Magnitsky sanctions on his financial backers.
3. Global recognition: This is not religious conflict—it is institutionalized genocide disguised as faith.

“When Wirathu hunts with the hounds (military) while running with the hares (Muslims), blood stains the ground. Only law can cleanse it.”
—Dr. Ko Ko Gyi, 2014

Key Sources Integrated:

• MMNN Legal Memo (Wirathu’s legal culpability).
• 2003 MIS Agent Exposé.
• Meiktila Massacre survivor accounts + AP evidence.
• “Axis of Evil” documentation (U Aung Thaung/Khin Nyunt collusion).
• Time Magazine, UN findings, Rome Statute.