A decade after inter-communal strife, Muslims join Minbya Twsp pagoda festival in sign of mended relations

By DMG 03 May 2022

DMG Newsroom
3 May 2022, Minbya 

Local Muslim residents have joined Arakanese Buddhists to organise an annual pagoda festival for the first time since Arakan State’s 2012 inter-communal conflicts in the Kan Pe area of Minbya Township. 

The three-day pagoda festival at Paw Taw Mu Pagoda in Kan Pe began on Monday with Buddhist monks and members of the pagoda’s board of trustees consecrating and offering lights and flowers to the pagoda. 

Historically, the annual pagoda festival was jointly organised by the local Buddhist and Muslim communities. But after Arakan State was rocked by sectarian strife in 2012, Muslim residents from the nearby villages did not join the festival. 

Arakanese villagers organised the pagoda festival in 2013 without the involvement of local Muslims. The annual festivities could not be held since then due to financial difficulties, and this year’s celebration is the first since 2013, according to U San Hla Tun, chairman of the pagoda’s board of trustees. 

“We could not organise the festival for years due to lack of funds, but not because Muslim people could not participate. Traditionally, Muslim people are involved in the annual pagoda festival. This year, we informed them about the festival, and they replied that they would participate, and they have contributed cash donations,” he said. 

The pagoda festival traditionally features separate wrestling competitions for Arakanese and Muslim villagers, and there will be wrestling competitions for both this year, he added. 

“We held a wrestling bout to commemorate the opening. Competition started today, and winners will be awarded with gold and silver gongs tomorrow,” U San Hla Tun told DMG. 

There are 14 Arakanese villages and four Muslim villages in the Kan Pe area. 

Relations between the Arakanese and Muslim communities were strained after the 2012 sectarian strife. Relations have improved over time, however, with the two communities gradually rebuilding and strengthening social, economic and interreligious ties.