Myanmar's junta unveiled a 1,700-ton Buddha statue in a grand ceremony in the capital, Naypyidaw, as part of its efforts to present itself as aligned with religion. The unveiling of the Maravijaya Buddha was criticized by citizens who viewed it as a fig leaf for the regime's atrocities. Critics pointed out the hypocrisy of the regime's message of harmony when its security forces have been responsible for the deaths of thousands of civilians. The statue was seen by some as a vanity project for junta chief Min Aung Hlaing and an attempt to whitewash his legacy.

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