Maungdaw, Arakan State: Concerned Maungdaw authorities, especially district and township administration offices, have imposed more restrictions on the daily activities at the Juma (Big) Mosque yesterday evening, according to a devotee from Maungdaw.
“The imposed order was issued by former Lt. Col. Aung Myint Soe, the head of the district administration office, and Aung Kyaw Oo, the head of the township administration office.”
“The order mentions not to use the rooftop of the mosque for praying, and to remove the bamboo fences from the south side of mosque facing the Police line.”
The township official delivered the order to the mosque’s management committee, said a member of the committee.
“We are using the bamboo fence at the south side where the old concrete wall was to prevent animals from entering into the compound of the mosque. The former district officer didn’t complain about the bamboo fence as it protects the mosque from unwanted people and animals.”
“The devotees are using the rooftop of the mosque when there are many devotees coming to pray; otherwise no devotees are going to the rooftop. It has been this way for a long time, but now the new district officer has opposed the activities of the mosque.”
Whenever high-level officers came to Maungdaw, they say in their speeches that there are freedoms and rights for all religions, but in reality there is no freedom of religion in Maungdaw, especially for the Rohingya community to perform their religious duties, said a student from Maungdaw.
