April 3, 2013
M-Media
by Tun Taut
Photo: Kan Gyi Mosque which photo is distributed in social media and propagated to instill hatred against Muslims, is not located inside the compound of pagoda. The wall between these two compounds was teared down by illegal means.
Ya Mae Thin- On 2nd April 2013 at 2 pm, District Religious Affair Officials met the trustee of a mosque named Kan Kyee in Ya Mae Thin Township to force the demolition of the mosque.
The authorities said if the trustee committee of the Mosque does not carry out demolition, their authorized committee will destroy it. If Muslims themselves perform the demolition, they would provide the sufficient security to Muslims for this purpose and Muslims would not be allowed to take any debris of the mosque being knocked down. If the Mosque is to be demolished by the authorities, Muslims would not be not allowed to see or intervene it, otherwise, the authorities will arrest the Muslims who come and see the destruction. It was said that the demolition was ordered since 2007 but, they will not show any proof of documents. They said the residence of this township will not be in peace and safety unless Muslims agree for this demolition and the trustee of the mosque has to reply to the district religious affair officials by 5 April 2013, Friday.
“While there was unrest in Meitthilar, a Mosque, 45 Muslims’ homes, 3 Buddhists’ homes and some shops from our village situated within 5 miles away from Ya Mae Thin had been destroyed. At this time of unrest, let alone providing enough security for us, the authorities have put this biased order. This is not fair. We will submit letter to President and do whatever we can do in legal way”, said by a residence of Ya Mae Thin who was with trustee of the Mosque at the time of discussion to M-Media.
On 25 Feb 2013, Monk Wirathu had propagated hate speech against Muslim and said all the mosques were not approved legally to build and thus needed to stop it. The next day after the speech, on 26 Feb 2013 morning, he had led the group with the trustee of Buddhist Pagoda and some NLD party members. They unsealed the Kan Kyee Mosque and entered inside the mosque. After that, the Monk Wirathu said the existence of a mosque inside Shwe See Khon Pagoda compound is necessary for ruling the township and added religious hatered-instigating messages. Therefore, it is suspected that the order for demolition of Kan Kyee Mosque may be because of such instigations.
According to the Report to M-Media on 1st March 2013 it was said that Kan Kyee is an old-aged mosque. It is not actually located inside Shwe See Khon Pagoda compound but next to it. The Muslims’ homes situated near the Pagoda have also been ordered to move by Brigadier General Kyaw Kyaw Tun Special Branch (22), husband of General Khin Nyut’s niece Ms. Nweni Aung, since 1994. However, those Muslims’ homes are not illegal and has situated there go years. By the time they issued the order in 1994 for the Muslim’s homes, they did not include the Kan Kyee Mosque as illegal. The mosque used to have brick fence which was demolished in 2006.Then, the head of the trustee of mosque Mr. Myint Tun and General Secretary Mr. Khin Maung who reported regarding this demolition was put into jail for 6 months. The brick fence of the mosque at the south and west part was demolished and other two parts still remain. In 2007,Township Administration Authorities has sealed the mosque according to the oral order given by trustee of the District .Till now, the mosque is not accessible.
*** To read the news about U Wirahu entering the Kan Kyee Mosque click here
http://www.m-mediagroup.com/news/11362
