Another foreigner has been arrested for ‘insulting religion’ in Buddhist Myanmar

A Dutch national has been arrested for insulting religion in Buddhist Myanmar after he allegedly unplugged a loudspeaker used by monks to broadcast a late-night sermon on Friday.

Soldiers reportedly had to be summoned to protect Klaas Haytema, 30, from an angry crowd that gathered outside his hotel, demanding he be turned over to them, 7 Day reported.

He is due to appear in court today, accused of disconnecting the amplifier used by a religious community hall in Mandalay at around 10pm.

“We have been doing this for 30 years,” resident Zaw Min Naing told 7 Day, referring to the practice of reciting sermons during Buddhist lent. “It is only for one day within the three months of lent period.”

Haytema is also facing immigration-related charges, according to the Myanmar Times.

“The foreigner has been detained in police custody because the immigration department and the head of the sermon recital team are pressing charges,” Police Captain Hla Myint told the Times.

Photos of the incident went viral on Myanmar social media over the weekend, with some users showing sympathy for the Dutch national. “In this time, everyone has their phone so they can listen to sermons on there,” wrote Aung Win Win. “It is noisy if it is too loud.”

Others urged foreign nationals to respect Myanmar’s culture. “If you come to Myanmar, you have to respect the tradition and culture of Myanmar,” wrote Yee Naing.

The arrested Dutch man is far from the first foreigner to be accused of disrespecting Buddhism in Myanmar.

New Zealand bar manager Phil Blackwood was released from Yangon’s Insein prison in January more than a year after he posted an image of the Buddha wearing headphones to promote a drinks deal at the bar where he worked.

His Myanmar colleagues were also imprisoned. 

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