By Kyaw Ye Lynn
WAW, Myanmar (AA) – A Muslim man has been injured after a Buddhist mob destroyed a mosque in Myanmar’s south-central Bago region following an argument over the construction of a new religious school.
Htay Khaing, an officer-in-charge at the police station in Waw Township, told Anadolu Agency on Friday, “some angry villagers attacked a Muslim man, and he was injured.”
The violence that occurred Thursday evening in Tha Yel Tha Mein village, located around 150 kilometers (93 miles) northwest of commercial capital Yangon, also destroyed the under construction Islamic school.
Abdul Sharif – a resident of the village, where 40 of the around 500 houses are owned by Muslims – was accused of building a madrasa in his compound without asking permission from authorities.
“He was taken to the hospital in Waw,” Htay Khiang said, adding that security was provided for his family members.
“For his safety, we will not disclose where he is being kept,” he told Anadolu Agency at the police station.
The victim’s brother Abdul Shareek, who lives in Hpa An town of southeastern Karen state, said he could not understand why Abdul Sharif was attacked.
“He is a good man to neighbors,” he told Anadolu Agency while waiting at the police station to meet with his brother – who he was unable to see.
He said Abdul Sharif was building a new religious school at his house compound as an older madrasa in the mosque compound was unusable.
“But he said building such a school is not committing a crime,” Abdul Shareek underlined.
