Monks rally in Myanmar

YANGON, Myanmar - The Associated Press

Myanmar Buddhist monks staged a rally to protest against Rohingya Muslims and to support Myanmar President Thein Sein’s stance toward the sectarian violence.

Hundreds of monks gathered to support the president’s proposal to send Muslims to another country. The monks held a banner saying, “Save your motherland Myanmar by supporting the president.” Sein suggested in July that Myanmar send all Rohingya to any country willing to take them, a proposal quickly opposed by the U.N. refugee agency. Myanmar considers the Rohingya to be illegal migrants from Bangladesh but Bangladesh also rejects them, rendering them stateless. Yesterday’s rally is the latest indication of deep sentiment against the Rohingya minority after June violence with Rakhine Buddhists that left 80 people dead and tens of thousands displaced.