Word: thailand
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...sectarian strife, many of us shudder at the prospect of another nation blending church and state. Look what happened in Iran and Afghanistan, we think, or what might have occurred if former Ku Klux Klansman David Duke had reigned supreme in America. Yet the marches in Thailand barely broke international headlines. Did I mention? The religion that sparked the protests is Buddhism...
...Thailand, famous worldwide for its golden Buddhist temples, is also home to millions of Muslims, most of whom live in the country's south. A religious-based insurgency there has claimed more than 2,000 lives since 2004, with some rebels calling for a separate Islamic homeland. Since Thailand's military coup last September, the violence has only gotten worse, even though the junta leader, General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, is himself a Muslim. With many of the killings involving Muslims targeting Buddhists (although plenty of Muslims have been murdered as well), it's not surprising that sentiment in usually tolerant Thailand...
...Taking stock of the new mood, General Sonthi announced after the protests that he didn't mind if Buddhism was added to the constitution, so long as the move promoted peace in Thailand. Other junta members said they would not stand in the way of a state religion. The lack of government opposition is likely a sign of a weakened leadership aiming to please the public, rather than a reflection of personal zealotry...
...many Buddhists in Thailand have no wish to see their faith enter politics. And Thai Muslims, most of whom already feel marginalized in this overwhelmingly Buddhist nation, will read any such move as more evidence of their second-class status. "It will inflame the south," says Panitan Wattanayagorn, a security specialist at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. "Muslim countries will believe we are against minorities." That would be a shame, since historically Thai culture has shown tolerance toward other cultures and religions. "Most Thais would like to find a compromise or middle path on this [constitutional] issue," says Panitan. A Buddhist...
...Unlike its more affluent neighbors, Indonesia has not benefited from wide distribution of foreign music, forcing local kids to make their own music. Compared to Thailand and Japan, a wider command of English in Indonesia has allowed kids to explore what's available on sites like Myspace, Friendster and Allmusic.com. And, with fewer government restrictions than Malaysia or Singapore, the environment is more permissive for performing live...