Maungdaw, Arakan State: Burma's military junta continues with its gross violation of human rights, in its latest diktat of ordering Rohingya Maulavi bridegrooms to be clean-shaven before a wedding ceremony. The Nasaka Director passed the order in the last week of October, a school teacher said on condition of anonymity.

The parents of the couples must apply to the authorities for a marriage permit with clean shaven photos of bridegrooms, otherwise they would not get permission for marriage. Earlier, only those bridegrooms, who were not religious leaders, had to be clean-shaven, while the Maulavis were excluded.

The bridegrooms would get permission for marriage only if they were clean-shaved and after paying at least 30,000 kyat to the concerned authorities.

A few local elders went to the Nasaka Director of Maungdaw Township and asked the Commander regarding the new order. The Commander replied that the order was from higher authorities, and he had nothing to do with it, a businessman from Buthidaung Township said.   

In the first week of October, Maulavi Abu (not his real name) (22), son of Khasim, who hailed from Phur Wut Chaung village-tract, applied to the authorities for permission to marry. The Nasaka summoned him to the camp for interrogation. When he went to the camp, the Nasaka personnel saw that he was bearded and ordered him to shave. When he refused to do so, his name was cancelled from the list, said an ex-Village Chairman.

The Nasaka Director also asked the Rohingya villagers to teach Burmese and English subjects in Arabic (religious) schools and to make it compulsory up to class VIII. It is compulsory to teach these two subjects in Arabic schools. Some of the Arabic schools earlier took the initiative to teach Burmese and English and those that do not have Burmese and English as subjects, are beginning to teach the said subjects.

The Nasaka Director also said that all Maulavis would not be allowed to put on Kurtas (long shirts) in future. The Maulavis, who have proper knowledge of religious affairs, were to be allowed to wear a kurta after identifying the false Maulavis.

Some elders feel happy to teach Burmese and English in Arabic schools as their children are then able to speak Burmese and English. Burmese would be useful to them in communicating with the Burmese authorities while English is an universal language, a trader from Maungdaw said. 

A few elders are disappointed regarding teaching English and Burmese in Arabic schools as their children are unable to follow these subjects because of so many subjects, which they have to learn in schools, a village elder who preferred not to be named said.