Myanmar Authorities Let Rohingyas Pray in Mosques with
Self-Interest
By Rohingya Eye
January 21, 2016
Maungdaw — The Myanmar authorities have recently allowed the
local Rohingya Muslims to pray selectively in a few Masjids (Mosques) in the
downtown of Maungdaw, it has been reported.
This is the first time that the authorities have officially
allowed or rather asked the local Muslims to pray in the mosques (that have)
remained shut down since the beginning of the state-sponsored violence in June
2012.
The Maungdaw Township Administration has also ordered the
respective village administrators to take photos and shoot videos of the people
praying in the mosques (especially during afternoon and evening prayers).
U Aye Myint, a human rights observer based in Maungdaw, said
“people here do not view the move by the authorities to allow them to pray in a
few mosques for the first time since 2012 as a sincere effort to give them
freedom of worship. The government may be using it as a means to reduce
pressures from the OIC nations and the international community.”
Some mosques in the downtown of Maungdaw where the local
Muslims have been asked to pray are ‘Fayzi Jameh Masjid’ and ‘Myoma Thinchaing
Masjid.”
However, 99 percent of the mosques in Maungdaw District have
still remained officially closed since June 2012.