Wirathu has long been the face of the country's Buddhist nationalist movement, notorious for espousing hate against the Rohingya minority. A warrant was "filed and applied directly at western district court against him (Wirathu) under article 124(a)," police spokesman Myo Thu Soe told AFP late on Tuesday. Like many in Myanmar, Wirathu pejoratively refers to the minority as "Bengali", implying the group are illegal immigrants. A firebrand Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka, Galagodaatte Gnanasara, has maintained close ties with Wirathu. Gnanasara was freed from prison in Sri Lanka last week following a presidential pardon.

Source: The Nation Bangkok May 29, 2019 07:30 UTC