Nov 4th, 2013
M-Media
Reported by Zar Ni
The religion protection association of Buddhist monks in Ya Mae Thin Township sent a letter to the township Ka Htain Festival organizing committee not to rent stalls to non-Buddhists at the collective Ka Htain Festival which would be held soon there.
The letter stated that as the a-week-long 39th Township Ka Htain Festival from 6th Nov to 12th Nov was the religious occasion of the Buddhists, making profits from shops and selling goods was only for Buddhists. It urged that all patriotic and religious Buddhists should not accept non-Buddhists’ monopolizing business opportunities. In the letter, it was also instructed to disallow non-Buddhist vendors and to investigate the cases of running shops by them, using Buddhists’ name instead. It included the fact that the monk association did not permit renting shops to non-Buddhists as well as running stalls by them, using Buddhists’ names instead at all.
“This letter was released. It was directly sent to the Ka Htain Festival organizing committee, but cc to Township Buddhist monk leading committee, the distict administrative office, the township administrative office, the district religious affairs office, and the township police station. This year is not the first time of releasing this announcement. Last yer, such letter was also released. Muslims can’t hire shops at the festival and so, won’t use these. However, we’re running our shops in original places. This year, we’ll continue our business in this way,” a Ya Mae Thin resident said to M-Media.
The caption of the photo taken by DVB- An announcement from Phawn Taw Oo Pagoda Festival, Inn Lay, Shan State, and the statement in the signboard is that “Non-Buddhists (Kalar) are not totally allowed to sell goods at the festival- ordered by Buddhist Monks”.
