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ug. 25, Online/AP

Fresh sectarian violence struck northwestern Myanmar early Sunday when a 1,000-strong Buddhist mob burned down dozens of Islamic homes and shops following rumors that a young woman had been sexually assaulted by a Muslim man, police said. There were no reports of injuries.

A crowd surrounded the police station late Saturday and then went on an hours-long rampage after authorities refused to hand over the assault suspect.

Your comments:

It is an expression of politicizing religion, when religion is used as a tool to justify violence and to control, subjugate and remove others that have a different understanding.

The idea to separate politics from religion or to integrate politics with religion actually is not a problem as long as the system can assure and protect the people'€™s basic constitutional rights and prevent an authoritarian style of leadership.

Authoritarian leadership can emerge in both a secular and religious state.

Muslims, Buddhists and other enlightened religious leaders should cooperate and strengthen each other in facing religious authoritarian style acts in their community.

Nurrohman