Buddhist Group Presses Burma Parliament To Restrict Interfaith Marriage

According to a report yesterday from The Irrawaddy, in Burma the influential Association for the Protection of Race and Religion (known as  Ma Ba Tha) is organizing demonstrations calling for passage of the Interfaith Marriage Bill that the Buddhist nationalist organization first proposed last year.  Prompted by concerns over Buddhist women marrying Muslim men, the bill would require Buddhist women to obtain permission from their parents and government authorities before marrying a man of another faith.  It would also require the man to convert to Buddhism. The bill is strongly opposed by women's rights and other civil society organizations.