English translation of U Aung Tin’s post by MMNN’s DARZ-KKG

There are good and bad people in every race and every religion.
No race is entirely bad, and no religion is entirely good.

If we truly want our country to progress, to have peace and security, we must treat all citizens equally — without discrimination based on race or religion. Only when everyone is treated equally will all citizens be motivated to work hard. When people work hard, the overall capacity and quality of our citizens will rise.

When certain groups or faiths receive privileges and positions without merit, they gradually lose the motivation to improve. Over time, those who are favored become complacent and less competent.
If the majority Bamar Buddhists continue to receive positions even when they lack qualifications, they too will stop striving — and in effect, we are creating weakness and mediocrity among our own people.

On the other hand, those from minority races and religions, who must struggle twice as hard to escape discrimination, become more capable and resilient. In that way, discrimination ironically ends up pushing minorities to excel.

If we keep giving positions to people simply because of their race, even when they lack ability — and denying positions to others because of their religion, even when they are capable — our country will never develop. We can never become a prosperous, civilized nation this way.

Since the 1962 military coup, not only Muslims but also Christians (labeled “C-virus”) have been discriminated against, no matter how qualified they were.
If we want to be truly civilized, we should learn from other civilized nations.

Although some Myanmar media outlets and celebrities have spread anti-Muslim sentiment — trying to poison the public with hatred under the excuse that “Muslims are rising around the world” — the reality is quite the opposite: the world today recognizes and appoints capable Muslims to important positions.

Across Europe, there are Muslim ministers holding key portfolios such as Interior and Finance. In the United States, Muslims serve as members of Congress, and in New York — the most populous and economically powerful city — an immigrant Muslim, Zohran Mamdani, now serves in a top leadership role, much like Sadiq Khan, the Muslim immigrant who became the Mayor of London.

If we look at world and religious history, we’ll see countless examples of how Muslims and Islam have contributed positively to humanity and global civilization.

Even the famous Jewish intellectual Toynbee Freeman (Arnold Toynbee Freeman), well-known among Myanmar scholars, once wrote that “If the Jews had continued living under the Ottoman Muslim rulers instead of migrating to Europe, six million Jews would not have perished in the Holocaust.”

As mentioned earlier, just as there are bad Muslims, there are also many good Muslims — just like in every other religion.
I want my beloved Myanmar friends to recognize this simple truth.

If we continue to hate, discriminate against, and deny opportunities to people merely because they are Muslims, our nation will never achieve lasting peace or progress.
Extremism and narrow-mindedness will only keep Myanmar trapped in instability and backwardness.

READ ALSO: From my Wiki userpage of DARZ_KKG

My favourite quotations

1. “- – – today’s human rights violations are the causes of tomorrow’s conflicts.” by Mary Robinson, High Commissioner for Human Rights (1997-2002).
2. If we discriminate others as foreign because they, their race and religion are different to us, all the others could also look down and discriminate on us because we are also foreign to them!
3. “Well, there are people who think that it’s right to do any thing in the name of their religion, their race, their family, or any organization to which they may belong.” Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

From the UN Charter_

1. The purposes of the United Nations are – – – to achieve International cooperation – – – in promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language and religion…”
2. “Equality, justice, dignity” is the emblem that represents the goals of the Human Rights Committee. The comprehensive implementation of actions against racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerances is a very important topic because these forms of intolerances have been global issues since biblical times.
3. For decades, thousands of people have been victims of discrimination, preferences and exclusions in view of their race, skin color, sex, religion, language, national or ethnic origin and form of expression, causing extreme suffering and even loss of life.
4. Racial discrimination is the ability or power to make distinctions among people based on race, color, decent, national or ethnic origin rather than individual merit.
5. Xenophobia is a fear of the foreign, of what is strange.
6. Religious intolerance occurs when someone’s opinions and beliefs are not respected by others due to their religion or way of thinking.
7. In extremely religious or less developed countries, sexism is practiced, and racial discrimination is not considered wrong. In addition, the methods of solving racism could not appeal to all countries. Lots of people believe that they have the right to segregate others and feel superior to them, just because they are different to what they are used to.

• The United Nations Former Secretary General, Kofi Annan stated_

There is no country in the world exempt of discrimination. No matter how severe or how mild the ratio of discrimination is, no nation is free from it. Either for one circumstance or another, not all countries are capable of giving the importance and dedication this issue needs. Even though we are all consciously aware of this topic, there is still a long road to cross.

“Ignorance and prejudice are the handmaidens of propaganda… Our mission therefore is to confront ignorance with knowledge, bigotry with tolerance, and isolation with outstretched hand of generosity. Racism can, will and must be defeated. Almost every country in the world suffers prejudice among its own people, either racial discrimination, xenophobia or religious intolerance.”

The importance of overcoming misunderstandings and animosities between the people of different beliefs and cultural traditions is through peaceful dialogue and mutual respect.

*The Holy Quran lays down_

1. Whosoever kills a human being without (any reason like) man slaughter, or corruption on earth, it is as though he had killed all mankind … (5:32)
2. “And whoever saves a life it is as though he had saved the lives of all mankind” (5:32).
3. “Do not let your hatred of a people incite you to aggression” (5:2).
4. “And we set you up as nations and tribes so that you may be able to recognize each other” (49:13).
5. The division of human beings into nations, races, groups and tribes is for the sake of distinction, so that people of one race or tribe may meet and be acquainted with the people belonging to another race or tribe and co-operate with one another.
6. This division of the human race is neither meant for one nation to take pride in its superiority over others nor is it meant for one nation to treat another with contempt or disgrace, or regard them as a mean and degraded race and usurp their rights.
7. Indeed, the noblest among you before God are the most heedful of you (49:13).

• Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in address of the Farewell Hajj_

1. “No Arab has any superiority over a non-Arab, nor does a non-Arab have any superiority over an Arab.
2. Nor does a white man have any superiority over a black man or the black man any superiority over the white man.
3. You are all the children of Adam, and Adam was created from clay” (al-Bayhaqi and al-Bazzaz).
4. “Do not argue with the people of the Book (Christians and Jews) unless it is in the politest manners” (29:46)