Zero alcohol drinks
Cans of Suntory Holdings' "Strong Zero Dry" vodka tonic are displayed with other ready-to-drink cans of alcohol as a man shops at a supermarket in Tokyo Japanese brewers will release their longest-ever line-up of canned cocktails this summer as fizzy concoctions come to the fore in efforts to offset a decade of declining beer sales. Picture taken June 29, 2014. REUTERS

A Kiwi bar manager has been arrested in Myanmar for allegedly insulting Buddha, by propagating an image of the Buddha wearing headphones. The bar manager was attempting the promotion of the newly opened nightspot. The promotional poster of Yangon-based bar appeared on its Facebook page. It sparked an outrage in the Buddhist nation's social media.

Bar Shut

Myanmar acted on Wednesday and arrested three persons after its Religious Department lodged a complaint with the police. The arrested were New Zealander and the bar's general manager, Philip Blackwood, owner Tun Thurein, and manager Htut Ko Ko Lwin. The Yangon court remanded the trio in custody until Dec 18 for breaching the Religion Act, reported 3 News. The act mandates punishment of maximum two years in jail for any insult or damage to religions. A two-year penalty will be added if the insult to religion was caused by any written word. "It is a no-bail offence," Judge Ye Lwin said.

Offensive Caricature

It appears that the newly opened V Gastro bar was attempting an innovative promotion by showing a psychedelic mock-up of the Buddha wearing DJ headphones and looking out for a few drinks at night. "They were trying to promote the bar. Buddha grabs people's interest ... however, Buddhists cannot accept it," a police official in Yangon's Bahan township told reporters.

The hurt sentiments of the Buddhists were evident with some 30 monks and many ordinary Burmese gathering at the court on Thursday. "The entire public has been insulted by the the improper Buddha photograph," a monk called Thusita of the Burmese Patriot Monks Union told AFP. Myanmar or Burma has been seeing a surge in nationalist movements spearheaded by monks who are asking for a raft of deeply controversial laws to restrict religious freedom.

The bar has already deleted the post and published an apology on its Facebook page. It said, "VGastro management expresses sincere regret that we have offended the citizens of this wonderful city, who have welcomed us so warmly and generously," it said. It also said the intention was not to cause any offence to anyone or toward any religious group. "Our ignorance is embarrassing". they said.

But the apology attracted angry comments like "Shame on you!", and bad behaviour that is "utterly unprofessional and culturally insensitive." Meanwhile the Australian reported that New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade is in contact with Blackwood and is providing consular advice and assistance.