A nationalist Buddhist group of monks in Myanmar have publically called for the country to boycott Ooredoo’s services given the company comes from a Muslim country.
There were concerns that such an issue could arise after Ooredoo was awarded one of two international licences in the country last year, with anti-Islamic sentiment growing since elections in 2011.
The monks in charge of the protest have reportedly condemned the government for awarding the licence to Ooredoo, and have urged the country’s population to only buy items from shops owned by Buddhists.
According to reports in Myanmar, Ooredoo believes the threat posed by the campaign is minimal, and reservations over the company will fade away once the public sees the positive effects of its operations.
Ooredoo has confirmed plans to launch 3G in Myanmar in Q3 2014 and is aiming to provide voice and data services to 84% of the population within five years.
According to the CIA World Factbook, 89% of Myanmar’s population is Buddhist.
