Author:
Publication: Yahoo News
Date: September 5, 2008
URL: http://in.news.yahoo.com/48/20080905/1248/twl-china-bans-mass-prayers-during-ramad_1.html
Authorities in China's Muslim-populated far
northwest province of Xinjiang are seeking to prevent mass prayers and the
distribution of religious material as part of a security crackdown for Ramadan,
government notices said.
A series of attacks on police in the province
around last month's Beijing Olympic Games left more than 20 officers and security
guards dead, and at least as many attackers killed or arrested, in the biggest
unrest there in years.
As the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan began,
local governments this week issued orders to clamp down on security in the
region and stop its ethnic Muslim Uighur population from using the holy month
to foment further unrest.
"Faced with recent violent and disruptive
activities by religious extremists, separatists and terrorists, we must...
step up ideological education of religious leaders and followers," a
notice posted on Xinjiang's Zhaosu county website said.
The county government prohibited government
officials, Communist Party members, teachers and students from observing Ramadan,
while warning that "any person caught forcing another to observe Ramadan"
would be punished.
"We must timely warn and stop religious
believers from organising and planning large scale prayer groups and prevent
any large crowd incidents that could harm social stability," said a notice
on the Xinhe county website.
