Shafaqna English- Five months after a devastating earthquake struck Myanmar, Muslim leaders claim that the military junta in the predominantly Buddhist country has deliberately denied permission to rebuild the Mosques destroyed in the quake.
The March 28 earthquake with epicenter in Mandalay killed some 5,300 people and destroyed thousands of buildings, including Mosques. However, several Muslim leaders say the junta seems to be following a discriminatory policy, allowing Buddhists to rebuild their temples while withholding permissions for mosques.
In Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, 59 of its 65 Mosques were severely damaged or collapsed in the earthquake, according to U Ko Latt, 44, a member of the trust that operates the city’s Kyauk Masjid.
He said that 33 of the 59 severely damaged mosques have received approval for demolition from the junta’s Ministry of Religious Affairs and Culture. The remaining 26 Mosques that applied are still awaiting approval for the demolition of damaged buildings.
Sources: Uca News