KALADAN NEWS
Dated:
EXTORTION ON RELIGIOUS FESTIVAL IN ARAKAN
Maungdaw,
Jan-25: The military personnel in northern
Muslims all over the world
celebrate Eid-ul-Adha every year and hundreds and
thousands of sheep, cows, goats, buffaloes and camels are sacrificed on the 10th
day of Zilhaj (Arabic month) in the name of eternal
God. It reminds us of the supreme sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim
who was about to slaughter his beloved son, as he was ordained by eternal God
in his dream.
The Muslim Rohingyas
of northern Arakan State, Burma celebrated Eid -ul- Adha
on different days of Friday and Saturday (21 and 22 of January 2005), while
they slaughtered cattle and goats based on capacity. But the military personnel
forcibly collected taxes Kyat 1,000 to 1,500 and 10 kgs
of meat from every cattle, while the people were forced to sell all hides and
skins to VPDC (Village Peace and Development Council) office with the lowest
price. Moreover, for the goat they have to give Kyat 300 to the military
personnel, he further said.
After the removal of military
intelligent (MI) and inactivation of Nasaka forces,
people were feeling great hope of peace and justice in the region but now, the
system of military personnel are worse than before. All kinds of activities of Nasaka and MI are reviving by the military and immigration
taking serious initiative against humanity, he continued.
On the other hand, they had
imposed restriction on worshiping at the prayer ground that is usually used by
Muslims of the world for the two Eid days of Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Adha. But
the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) takes severe restrictions for
these two celebrations while the SPDC authorities collect money for the
Buddhist festivals, said a Rohingya political leader.
Most of the Muslims in Arakan are Rohingyas who have
offered their Eid prayer in mosques because the SPDC
authorities warned the Rohingyas not to pray at the Eid-Ghah (Open air prayer ground) with large number of
devotees and the SPDC also restricted to deliver contemporary Khutbah or religious sermons in Mosques. So, Rohingyas celebrated the Eid-ul-Adha
in fear of lives and liberty, he further added.
In this connection, the Muslim Rohingyas of Maungdaw, Buthidaung, Rathidaung and Akyab are warned in advance by the SPDC authorities not to
move from one place to another at a time in large numbers and also not to stay
for long period in a place, even today – the Eid day.
The SPDC is violating the religious rights of Rohingya
in various means, said a religious leader from Maungdaw
who requested not to mention his name for his safety.
It may be mentioned here that
this restriction is not the first time in Arakan but
for many years, especially after 1988 democracy uprising which is comparatively
increasing year by year. In the case of Buddhist festival, the Muslim Rohingyas were forced to donate and contribute and also
encouraged to take part in the celebration, while the other religious festivals
of non-Buddhists are prohibited and restricted in various ways in their worship
in the country, he added.
According to Muslim tradition,
the celebration of Eid at Eid
Ghah has more virtue than at Mosques. So, all the
Islamic believers (Muslims) try to pray their Eid
prayer at specific places of Eid Ghah.
But, the Rohingyas in Arakan
are deprived of their freedom of worship and religion, as they are accustomed
by Islam and follow the true Islamic philosophy of Quran
and Sunnah, while the others believe in Buddhism,
Hinduism, Christianity and animist.
Similar restriction and formality
were formatted for non-Buddhist communities of whole
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