Myanmar’s military turns to Buddhism in bid for legitimacy

Some monks have joined the anti-coup protests but, in a bid for legitimacy, the generals are working to cultivate the support of senior clergy [File: EPA]

A plan is under way for Min Aung Hlaing, head of Myanmar’s military and leader of last year’s coup, to build the biggest sculpture of a sitting Buddha in the world – part of his attempt to forge a legacy as a protector of Buddhism.

But, in the last year, soldiers directly under his command have killed nearly 1,500 people in a crackdown on the military’s opponents that violates Buddhism’s first and most important principle: to abstain from killing.