24th September,2015
M-Media
Reported by Aung Thura
As Muslims around the world are preparing to celebrate Eid dul Adha festival, in Myanmar, notorious ultra-nationalist anti-Muslims group Ma Ba Tha is trying to ban this annual ritual by forcing local administrations and threatening that there might be violence attacks if it goes ahead.
Ma Ba Tha in Mekhtila, where anti-Muslims terrorist attacks broke out in 2013, released a statement on 21st September urging officials to ban Eid festival as local Buddhist people are preparing to perform their religious gatherings. If authorities fail to implement their request, unnecessary attacks may be occurred and relevant government departments would be responsible for this – it states.
In Ayeyarwady Division, Ma Ba Tha is pushing their pressure to local administrations to prevent Eid celebration.
‘The group is asking to ban, that’s why it will have a problem if we do against their will – authorities explained. I think we are not going to celebrate because we will have to set back if they are more aggressive’ said a Muslim man from Hithada Township, Ayeyarwady Division.
There is also a request not to slaughter cattle in annual festival giving reason that farmers are facing cattle crisis in their farming. Administration of Laputta Township in Ayeyarwady Region sent a request letter to the board of trustee of township’s Central Mosque appealing not to sacrifice cattle but instead other animals following Ma Ba Tha warn of potential violence.
Muslims in Myanmar are going to mark Eid du Adha event on 25th September.
In Pantanaw Township, Kuwatul mosque asked Regional administration for permission to celebrate annual Eid but township’s Cattle Safety group which is organized by Ma Ba Tha monks warned not to slaughter cattle. Therefore, board of trustee have decided to donate other animals.
‘For some issues, we don’t celebrate Eid. This Cattle Safety group are holding cattle slaughter license of township. It has been three years we couldn’t celebrate Eid holiday’ said secretary of the Mosque.
Wirathu, known as Burmese Bin La Din for his dangerous radical speech, also forced Mandalay Division government by sending a letter on September 16th that called to ban Muslim Eid. He updated a post on his Facebook page on 23rd September, in which he accused Muslims are exploiting Human Rights and he asked country’s minority to go other Muslim countries giving a question that how do Muslims react if Buddhist people are trying to oppose them.
Although thousands of livestock slaughter houses are running across the Buddhist majority country everyday, some radical monks and their followers are complaining of cattle slaughtering in Muslim Eid giving reason that it makes them feeling ill because Buddhism prohibits killing animals.
According to local media, more than six hundred thousand of cattle are being exported illegally to Thailand and China every year. But cattle shortage in Myanmar farming are timely popular during the period of Muslim Eid.
Mandalay Division government has agreed Ma Ba Tha’s request of preventing cattle slaughter and would ask Muslims to donate goats only in marking Eid celebration, Irrawaddy media reported yesterday.
