Myanmar women object to proposed restrictions on interfaith marriage

[rug]

By Cherry Thein
Religion News Service
Posted: Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2014

YANGON, Myanmar Governments and religious leaders might control marriage in Myanmar, but laws can’t restrict love and faith, say women of different races and religions in the country.

Myanmar President U Thein Sein sent a controversial draft law to parliament that would restrict the ability of Buddhist women to marry non-Buddhist men. Supporters say the law, which lawmakers are expected to debate in January, would “protect race and religion.”

The law is one of four “protection laws” that would affect religious conversion, interfaith marriage, polygamy and population control. These bills, known as the “protection of race and religion laws,” were proposed in 2013 by Ma Ba Tha, a group of nationalistic Buddhist monks.

Some opponents, however, say that rationale is nonsense.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/12/31/5417693/myanmar-women-object-to-proposed.html#.VKV6rLnck5s

[PumpkinAle]

1. "nationalistic" - whenever you see that

you know that somewhere someone's rights are being taken away.