Myanmar demolishes 200-year-old Rohingya mosque

A 200-year old historical mosque in Buthidaung Township was bulldozed by the Myanmar military on April 3, 2017.

A 200-year old historical mosque in Buthidaung Township was bulldozed by the Myanmar military on April 3, 2017.

It was located at the village of ‘LaweiDek’ in Buthidaung and was built even before the British occupation of Arakan.

“During the British time, there existed shops and bazaar at the both sides of the road nearby the Masjid. It was known as ‘Botoli Bazaar.’ The mosque was closed by the authorities only in the mid-1990s.

“But yesterday, the military from a battalion from a battalion nearby ‘LaweiDek’ arrived with a bulldozer and razed the mosque,” said an elderly Rohingya man in the city.

Although the Myanmar government claims of putting its best efforts to end the crisis in the Arakan state, the Rohingya people are suffering from the persecution at all fronts including restrictions to freedom of worship.