Exorcist says he was ‘possessed’ when he murdered children

By AFP
The Myanmar Times
21 November 2016

A self-proclaimed sorcerer who allegedly beat three children to death in an exorcism ritual appeared in court on November 18 when he told reporters he was possessed by a “dark spirit” at the time of the killings.

Ko Tun Naing arrived at court on November 18 chained to other detainees and escorted by police. Photo: AFPKo Tun Naing arrived at court on November 18 chained to other detainees and escorted by police. Photo: AFP

Police say the black magic practitioner, Ko Tun Naing, 30, punched and kicked two toddlers and an eight-month-old baby to death last month in a village on the outskirts of the commercial capital.

According to witnesses, Ko Tun Naing told villagers the children were possessed by evil spirits and then killed them over two days as their families watched the ritual.

Speaking as police led him away from the court hearing, Ko Tun Naing told reporters he had been possessed when he attacked the children.

“I did it because I lost control of my mind at that time as the dark spirit took over me,” he said.

The uncle of the dead three-year-old, also named Ko Tun Naing, said the villagers lost their senses after the sorcerer fed them “blessed” water and made them stand in a circle as he recited incantations.

“Because of what he did everyone was out of their mind,” he told AFP reporters who visited him in Twante, south of Yangon, several days after the killings.

A police report on the incident said the bodies of the children – a three-year-old boy, a two-year-old girl and a baby girl – showed evidence of being punched, kicked and stamped on.

Hospital workers alerted authorities after the father of another little girl who had been beaten brought her to hospital. According to police, the exorcist struck the four-year-old girl an axe.

Ko Tun Naing has been charged under sections 302, 325, and 201 of the penal code, for causing grievous hurt, disposing of evidence, and murder. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.

http://www.mmtimes.com/index.php/national-news/23797-exorcist-says-he-was-possessed-when-he-murdered-children.html

Hardline Buddhist monks and Myanmar’s opposition clash in social media row

Reuters
October 1, 2015

A war of words is being fought in Myanmar, largely over social media, between nationalist Buddhist monks and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, highlighting divisions in the run-up to a general election on Nov. 8.

Tin Oo, a founding member of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), met prominent nationalist monk Wirathu in the city of Mandalay on Wednesday in a bid to ease the tension as the country prepares for the historic vote.

Since nearly 50 years of strict military rule ended in 2011, underlying tensions in society have arisen and been taken up by different elements, including nationalists in the predominantly Buddhist country.

Wirathu is a leading member of the Committee for the Protection of Race and Religion, better known as Ma Ba Tha, which has been stoking anti-Muslim sentiment.

Suu Kyi’s NLD, while mindful of Wirathu’s arguments which have struck a chord with many people in Myanmar, has campaigned against intolerance and some NLD supporters have been critical of hardline monks and their anti-Muslim stance.

In their meeting, Wirathu criticized the NLD for not distancing itself from comments critical of monks, according to a video of their encounter, uploaded on Facebook.

“I know that there are Facebook accounts using Aung San Suu Kyi’s photos and NLD flags, saying disrespectful words and insulting the monks,” Wirathu said.

“The NLD needs to announce that they do not represent the NLD.”

Tin Oo, the 88-year-old patron of the NLD, was shown kneeling in front of Wirathu in a traditional show of respect for monks.

The Ma Ba Tha, which is led by monks, has emerged as a powerful force and it successfully promoted four so-called Protection of Race and Religion Laws seen as targeting the Muslim minority and women.

The group is not represented by any particular political party but it has questioned candidates and parties that it believes did not fully support the laws, in particular the NLD, saying it was failing to protect the country and Buddhism.

Wirathu said if the NLD distanced itself from the social media attacks he would act against Ma Ba Tha supporters attacking the NLD.

He also reiterated his organization’s position on reducing the role of the military in politics, a view shared by the NLD.

But he said it did not support repealing a section of the military-drafted constitution that blocks Suu Kyi from becoming president because her late British husband and two children are not Myanmar citizens, saying that was intended to protect the country.

http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2015/10/01/hardline-buddhist-monks-and-myanmars-opposition-clash-in-social-media-row/