Maungdaw, Arakan State: Rohingya Muslims of Maungdaw Townsship, Arakan State were celebrating their biggest religious festival, Eid-ul-Fitr amid not festivity, marking the end of Ramadan after the holy month of fasting, said a close relative of the victim.
“Local people nearby Maungdaw Township, were not celebrating their Eid festival with joy as Mohamed Hussain (55), son of Khader Hussain, hailed from Shwe Zaar village of Maungdaw Township was killed by the severe torture of Nasaka (Burma’s border security force) while he was in Nasaka custody of Shwe Zaar Nasaka camp on August 21, over the allegation that he had been involved in illegal money exchange.”
“We are very much upset for the dead of my father before Eid celebration. It is totally false that my father is involved in money exchange. We have no Eid for this year,” said another close relative of the victim, quoting the son of the victim.
“Mohamed Naser (18), son of Nurul Amin, hailed from Zaydipin village, under Shwe Zaar village tract of Maungdaw Township was also shot dead by Yan Naing Soe, a Nasaka personnel from same outpost camp on the night of September 1, as he asked the cost of a quid of betel from the Nasaka personnel,” said a local elder on condition of anonymity.
“Local people across the Maungdaw Township have been celebrating the Eid festival with frustration for three days---from 31August to September 2.”
However, the main Eid congregation in the town was held on the National Eidgah Maidan, adjacent to the big mosque of Maungdaw Town, at about 8:30 am, amid not pleasure in pleasant weather and well-management preparations, thousands of devotees attended the congregation at the Eidgah Maidan (ground). There was no disturbance from authorities and local sister community.
Local people including young and old offered prayers on the Maidan and a special Munajat (payer) was held seeking divine blessings for peace and development of the country, welfare of the people and greater unity and integrity of the Muslim Ummah (people).
Meanwhile, police and Nasaka took strong security measures in and around the Eidgah and all other Eid Jamaats and its vicinity. However, no untoward incidents were reported from anywhere during the Eid congregations. But, in Akyab, a bomb was blasted near a Mosque of Sarki Para of Akyab on the morning of Eid which killed seven Rohingya on the spot.
Other Participants in the prayer in other places including in Buthidaung Township also sought divine blessings for peace and progress of the country, welfare of the people, and greater unity of the people and greater unity of the Muslim community.
