YANGON: A court in Myanmar has issued an arrest warrant for a nationalist Buddhist monk, Wirathu, on a charge of sedition, police said on Wednesday.
Wirathu is known for his rhetoric against minority Muslims, particularly the Rohingya community, but he has also been critical of the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi and supportive of Myanmar’s powerful military.
Police spokesman Myo Thu Soe said the arrest warrant had been issued on Tuesday by the western district court in Myanmar’s main city, Yangon.
He did not give a reason for the warrant.
At recent rallies, Wirathu has accused the government of corruption and criticized it for trying to change the constitution in a way that would reduce the power of the military.
“This sedition accusation is bullying him,” Thu Saitta, an ally of Wirathu, told Reuters.
“We won’t say what we will do if he is arrested, but it is certain that we won’t be calm.”
Wirathu is the most prominent of the nationalist monks to gain growing political weight in Myanmar since a transition from military rule began in 2011.
The police spokesman said the warrant had not yet been received by police in the central city of Mandalay, where Wirathu is based.
Wirathu was banned by Myanmar’s highest religious authority from preaching for one year until early last year because of hate speech.
He has often targeted Rohingya Muslims, more than 700,000 of whom fled an army crackdown in Rakhine State in 2017 that UN investigators said was carried out with “genocidal intent.”
The law under which Wirathu faces possible arrest prohibits bringing “hatred or contempt” or exciting disaffection toward the government. It carries a prison sentence of up to three years.
Arrest warrant issued for Myanmar hard-line monk Wirathu
Arrest warrant issued for Myanmar hard-line monk Wirathu
- Wirathu is known for his rhetoric against minority Muslims, particularly the Rohingya community
- But he has also been critical of the civilian government of Aung San Suu Kyi
Republican congressional candidate says she will not accept AIPAC funds
- ‘I’m not somebody who can be bought,’ Niki Conforti tells Arab News, referring to pro-Israel lobby group
- Arab Americans have accused Democratic incumbent Sean Casten of ignoring their concerns
CHICAGO: Niki Conforti, the Republican candidate for the Illinois 6th Congressional District, has told Arab News that she will not accept campaign funds from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
The powerful lobby group demands complete loyalty to Israel over Arab interests, donating hundreds of millions of dollars in each election, including nearly $300,000 to the district’s incumbent Democrat Sean Casten, according to the political group Track AIPAC.
“I’m not somebody who can be bought. I’ve made the commitment that I won’t take AIPAC money,” Conforti told Arab News. “First and foremost, I have to take care of the people of my district.”
Describing her views as being “America First,” she added: “I think we’ve given a lot of money to fund foreign wars. We need to turn that money internally to address mental health issues, to help the homeless, to help veterans, to lower crime. We have so many issues here at home where that money can be better spent.”
In Ukraine and the Middle East, “we need to work toward peace and stop the killing,” she said. “These are turning into perpetual wars and we need to really get respect in the regions, have accountability on both sides, and reach an agreement that everyone can adhere to and keep.”
A healthcare industry professional, Conforti said it is important that elected officials listen to all of the district’s residents regardless of political affiliation, race, ethnicity or religion.
“I’m a businesswoman. I’m going to listen to my constituents, whether we agree or not. Listening to my constituents is going to be very important to me,” she added.
The 6th District in Chicago’s western suburbs has a large concentration of Arab and Muslim voters, whose leaders have repeatedly complained that four-term incumbent Casten has rebuffed their views.
Conforti previously ran for the office twice, challenging Casten as the endorsed Republican in 2024, losing to him by about 30,000 of 363,000 votes cast.
Leaders of the Arab-American community have accused him of not being forceful enough in opposing Israel’s war in Gaza.
“Congressman Casten hasn’t seen fit to attend any of our events,” American Arab Chamber of Commerce President Hassan Nijem told Arab News. “It’s clear Casten isn’t interested in our views or our concerns, even though we’re a major constituency in the 6th Congressional District.”
Samir Khalil, founder of the Arab American Democracy Coalition, told Arab News: “Casten has been unresponsive to our community. He embraces a double standard, taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from AIPAC.
“He has sat back while our tax dollars have been used to fund Israel’s killing of Palestinians in Gaza and the total destruction of homes, businesses, schools, hospitals, mosques and churches.”
In the March 17 Republican primary, Conforti, 62, will face newcomer Skylar Duensing, 25, a protege of assassinated right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk.
Casten, 54, will face newcomer Joseph Ruzevich, 27, in the March 17 Democratic primary. Ruzevich has said he will not accept AIPAC money.
The winners of each primary will face off against each other on Nov. 3.
Nijem and Khalil both said the Arab-American community will oppose Casten in the March and November elections.
Casten did not respond to a request for comment from Arab News.
