Where Faith and Diversity Unite: Southeast Asia’s Lesson for the World
TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 3 Nov 2025
Chandra Muzaffar | JUST/International Forum on Buddhist Muslim Relations – TRANSCEND Media Service
31 Oct 2025 – The recent ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, guided by the theme “Resilient Together, Prosper Together,” served as a powerful reminder of a core regional truth: Southeast Asia’s shared diversity, when guided by compassion, is its greatest strength. This unity is what ASEAN must protect.
The memory of the July crisis lingers—five days when Buddhist neighbours Cambodia and Thailand exchanged artillery fire along their disputed border. The toll was stark: 32 lives lost, over 130 wounded, and nearly 170,000 displaced, including an eight-year-old boy killed by rockets in Sisaket province. Yet the tragedy also affirmed ASEAN’s method of turning confrontation into conversation.
When tempers flared, the ASEAN spirit of musyawarah (consultation) was tested. Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim stepped forward as a facilitator. The image of a Muslim leader mediating between two Buddhist nations demonstrated a unique regional capacity, achieving an immediate ceasefire on 28 July 2025. This ceasefire was signed off on October 26, 2025, on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Kuala Lumpur.
The key was not shared religion, but shared values. The mediation was effective because it was free from historical or doctrinal entanglement, speaking instead from a place of shared human understanding. It was not religion that divided the borderlands; it was pride and politics. Yet it was faith diversity that helped heal the wound. Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindu philosophies all anchor in the sanctity of life and the moral obligation to choose peace over ego.
This response was bolstered by Muslim and Buddhist NGOs providing humanitarian aid, psychological support, and grassroots dialogue. Groups from monasteries in Siem Reap to charities in Kedah made neighbourliness a tangible reality, reflecting Southeast Asia’s instinct to cooperate.
The summit affirmed the clear message from this crisis: peace is not sustained by shared ideology, but by shared humanity. This was not mere tolerance; it was transformation. The region didn’t erase difference; it elevated it, converting religious plurality into diplomatic capital. Diversity was not the problem; it was the solution.
ASEAN’s success offers lessons for a world fractured by identity. The image of a Muslim leader mediating between Buddhist nations is a symbol of principled pluralism. It shows that neutrality need not mean detachment; it can mean compassion in action. This collaboration also underlines that peace is not built by governments alone but cultivated by faith communities and citizens who believe in mutual respect.
July’s crisis reminded us of the fragility of peace. But what followed reaffirmed it can be rebuilt. The message from Kuala Lumpur resonates where faith and diversity unite, humanity prevails. In a fractured world, ASEAN’s blend of diversity—rooted in compassion and respect—offers a different path. This is the peace we have built, and it is a peace we must protect.
The International Forum on Buddhist Muslim Relations [BMF]
K V Soon (Vidyananda), Secretary – https://buddhistmuslimforum.org
Contact Information: WA/ +60123995273. Email: soonkv@gmail.com
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Dr. Chandra Muzaffar is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace, Development and Environment, and president of the International Movement for a Just World (JUST). He is the author of the e-book ‘Whither WANA?-Reflections on the Arab Uprisings,’ which is accessible through the JUST website, www.just-international.org.
The International Forum on Buddhist-Muslim Relations (BMF) is an international interfaith initiative formed in direct response to the urgent need to mitigate rising religious tensions and conflicts, particularly in flashpoint areas such as Southern Thailand and Myanmar (Rakhine State). The BMF was formally established in 2013, with initial consultative meetings on “Contemporary Issues in Buddhist-Muslim Relations in South and South East Asia” held in Bangkok, Thailand. Its formation was a proactive commitment by concerned leaders to create a sustained platform for constructive dialogue and joint action across the region and elsewhere.
Core Objectives and Mission
The BMF’s mission is to foster peace and understanding by serving as a hub for both intra-religious and inter-religious engagement. Our key objectives include:
- Platform for Engagement: Serving as a primary platform for education and advocacy
- Conflict Prevention: Enabling rapid reaction, solidarity visits, early warning, and conflict prevention in the event of conflict.
- Actionable Tools: Developing and providing tools and materials for constructive engagement and strategic common actions.
- Positive Messaging: Promoting the effective use of media, especially social and alternative media, for positive messaging and amplifying peaceful narratives.
Core Group Members
The BMF draws strength from a diverse network of individuals and organizations across the region. It is driven by the commitment and expertise of a core group of internationally recognized members, including:
- International Network of Engaged Buddhists (INEB)
- International Movement of a Just World (JUST)
- Persyarikatan Muhammadiyah
- Religion for Peace (RfP)
- The Network of Religious and Traditional Peacemakers (The Network)
The BMF stands as a united front, modelling coexistence and actively working to build resilience against conflict in diverse communities worldwide.
Upcoming Dialogue: A Call for Shared Values
In line with our commitment to constructive engagement and education, the BMF is pleased to announce a special dialogue series taking place on November 16, 2025
This event will focus on leveraging shared values for social change. We invite media and stakeholders to participate in this important discussion. Full details on the topic and speakers are available on our website:
Dialogue Series on Socially Engaged Shared Values.
Tags: ASEAN, Buddhists, Cambodia, Conflict Transformation, Dialogue, Interfaith dialogue, Muslims, Myanmar, Thailand
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 3 Nov 2025.
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