Hit hard by Cyclone Mocha, religious buildings in need of repair and financial aid

By Admin 12 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
12 July 2023, Sittwe

Religious leaders in Arakan State say they are facing financial difficulties in repairing the religious buildings damaged by Cyclone Mocha in mid-May.

Many Buddhist, Hindu, Islamic and Christian religious buildings were damaged by the storm, and aid for reconstruction has been slow to arrive and limited in scope.

U Kyaw Swe, a Muslim from Aungmingalar Ward in Sittwe, said local mosques have not received any assistance, and are struggling financially to repair the religious buildings damaged by the storm on a self-reliant basis.

“We lack financial assistance. Cash donations collected from locals in the village are not enough to repair the damaged religious buildings. If the sun is hot, we worship in the sun,” he added.

U Kyaw Swe said that the junta tallied the number of mosques that were destroyed in Aungmingalar Ward after the storm, but they still have not received financial assistance.

Among the religious buildings affected by the storm, Buddhist and Hindu religious buildings have received some support from the junta, while mosques and Christian schools have not yet received support, according to religious leaders.

Some of the religious buildings that were slightly damaged by the storm have been repaired with the help of the church, but the religious buildings that were almost completely destroyed have not been repaired, said U Jonathan, chairman of the Church of Christ in Arakan State.

“We have not repaired three churches destroyed by the cyclonic storm. We have built homes for the pastors with cash contributions from donors at home and abroad. We have not received any assistance from other organisations,” he explained.

The junta has provided five rice sacks and some cooking oil to each church in Sittwe, according to the churches.

The junta has donated some 150 roofing sheets and timber logs to the Shwe Parami monastic school in Rathedaung, which was destroyed by the storm. Financial aid is still needed to rebuild the monastic school as the junta’s assistance is not enough, said the abbot of Shwe Parami monastic school.

“We have received about 50 percent of the assistance we need. We need donors. We will be able to rebuild the damaged monastic school only when donors contribute to us,” the abbot added.

Hindu temples affected by the storm have also received small grants for roofing sheets from the junta, but it is not enough, so they are repairing these religious buildings with the contributions of private donors.

The junta has said that it will provide aid for religious buildings damaged by the storm as a priority, but religious leaders say that there is not enough aid on the ground.

Among the religious buildings in Aralan State that were damaged or destroyed by the cyclone are numerous Buddhist monasteries, Islamic mosques, Christian churches and Hindu temples.