Myanmar Police in Buthidaung: Rohingyas will be sued if they pray at Mosque

RB News 

June 18, 2016 

Buthidaung, Arakan – Rohingyas in Buthidaung Township of Arakan State were threatened by the police while they were praying. 

Since violence erupted in Arakan State in June 2012, praying at mosques is prohibited and a curfew was imposed. Up to date the curfew is still in place and Rohingyas can’t gather in groups of more than five persons although the Buddhists, Hindu and Christians can gather hundreds at their respective monasteries, temples and churches. The curfew is in place just to restrict the Rohingya Muslims.

Today, June 18, 2016 in the afternoon at about 1:00 pm a few dozen Rohingya Muslims in Ward No. (4) gathered to pray at a mosque, called Tha Byay Gone Mosque, and the police from Myoma police station came and filmed them while discouraging them from gathering. 

“The police came and shot the video. Then the police said, 'who allowed you guys to pray here. Next time you guys will be sued if pray again.'” a Rohingya told RB News.

It is currently Ramadan, the Islamic holy month, and Muslims want to pray at mosque daily five times, but unfortunately Rohingyas are restricted in many ways to prevent them from doing so. The Rohingyas in Myanmar have been facing seriously restrictions on movement, business, education, marriage, birth etc. Experts have said that the Rohingyas are facing genocide. 

With the new government, led by Aung San Suu Kyi ruling the country since April 1st, 2016, people thought the persecution on Rohingyas would be eased, but nothing has changed. The policy on Rohingyas is same and the Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi has refused to allow Rohingya to self-identify as such, which denies them even a basic universal human right. Recently the Myanmar government delegation at the 32nd UN Human Rights Council summit in Geneva urged the UN to use the term 'Muslims from Rakhine State' instead of saying 'Rohingyas.'