Kokang families living in Moegok and Pyin Oo Lwin Townships of Mandalay Region denounced the destruction of Buddha statues and religious buildings, according to the announcement of Kokang Buddhist Community Center released yesterday.

According to the Statement, a MNDAA member was seen in photos and videos smashing and demolishing the Pagoda, a sacred site for the people of Kokang in northern Shan State. This made them feel unhappy. The group intended to weaken the religion by destroying pagodas and other religious buildings. Therefore, all the Buddhist Kokang families in Pyin Oo Lwin and Moegok towns strongly condemned these actions.

In a powerful display of dissent, a series of protests have swept through major cities in Myanmar, denouncing the destruction of Buddha statues and pagodas.

The fervor ignited after a video emerged on January 8, showing a member of the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance (MNDAA) smashing a pagoda on Sin Oo Kin Hill in Laukkai, Shan State (North). The footage quickly went viral on social media, galvanizing citizens.

The movement gained momentum as it spread to other cities. On January 9, Mandalay witnessed protestors from the Union of Patriotic Monks (Mandalay) taking to the streets, their voices echoing in three different locations within the city. Meanwhile, Yangon saw monks and protesters marching from the Thamada Cinema to the city hall on January 10.

Not to be outdone, Shan State (North) joined the chorus of dissent on January 11. Monks, nuns, and local ethnic communities staged a protest at the monument grounds of Independence Park in Lashio. Their placards bore powerful slogans: “Down with the terrorist groups harming the race and religion” and “Their fate will come back to them.”

The call for preservation echoed across the nation. On January 12, Nay Pyi Taw Council area, Taunggyi in Shan State (South), and regions of Mandalay and Magway witnessed further demonstrations. Monks and organizers delivered impassioned talks opposing any acts that would harm Buddhism, while the protestors raised their voices, chanting slogans and brandishing placards.

As being of January 14, there had been protests against the destruction of Buddha status and religious buildings held in 31 major cities across the country.

The Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army -MNDAA issued a deep apology on January 9 regarding a video circulating online of an MNDAA member destroying a pagoda in Laukkai.