“Pro-democracy crowds are also cut from the same racist ideological fabric” as the military-dominated government, [Maung Zarni] added. There have been reports that Buddhist monks in Rakhine have distributed pamphlets urging boycotts of Muslim traders and shops.
When asked about the Rohingya issue, Ms Suu Kyi has vaguely referred to the need for the “rule of law”, or for a clear immigration law, which critics say suggests she sees the Muslim group as immigrants rather than citizens. The Rohingya have never been granted Burmese citizenship and a 1982 law excluded from the list of officially-recognised minorities. As Ms Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy look ahead to elections in 2015, analysts have said that expressing support for the Muslim minority would be politically calamitous. Mr Adams and others disagree. “This is an unequivocal issue, it’s something where clarity is needed. She is such an icon, she could bring a lot of public opinion with her if she went after the issue,” he said. More here.