On the left, the original photo posted by The Voice Weekly, and on the right, an extended view which suggests her gesture may have been pointed at the monks. PHOTOS/THE VOICE WEEKLY/FACEBOOK
Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has once again been caught up in religious uproar in Myanmar, after an image emerged of her appearing to use a Buddhist gesture to pay respects to a Muslim leader.
A photo of the National League for Democracy head seeming to bow before the Islamic leader at the one year anniversary of the death of journalist Win Tin prompted an online backlash after it was posted to Facebook on Tuesday by The Voice Weekly.
Closer inspection of the image, which was posted amid deepening tensions between Buddhist and Muslim communities in Myanmar, suggested she was actually signalling the monks sitting behind him.
Nonetheless, the Facebook post was besieged by commenters. “Hey The Voice, are you trying to make political conflict?” one wrote. Another took a more hateful approach: “Dog party, NLD.”
The Voice Weekly has since removed the image and issued an apology, blaming a misunderstanding by the online editor.
Suu Kyi has been unintentionally involved in online religious debacles before. Last year, a picture that had been doctored to show her wearing a hihab went viral and presidential spokesman Ye Htut was forced to apologise after his wife shared it.
