Just as you think the issue of Tibet went into slumber as a sign of respect for the victims of the Sichuan earthquake, the China strives to dismantle any kind of sympathy it may have garnered. Just today, a mosque was demolished by the Chinese government, allegedly because the local Muslim community refuses to do what the government had ordered: show sign of support for the Olympics.
In a Reuters article (via):
BEIJING (Reuters) – Chinese authorities in the restive far western region of Xinjiang have demolished a mosque for refusing to put up signs in support of this August’s Beijing Olympics, an exiled group said on Monday. [Group says China demolishes mosque for not supporting Olympics. Reuters. June 23 2008]
The official reason, it seems is this:
Dilxat Raxit added that the mosque, which had been renovated in 1998, was accused of illegally renovating the structure, carrying out illegal religious activities and illegally storing copies of the Muslim holy book the Koran. [Group says China demolishes mosque for not supporting Olympics. Reuters. June 23 2008]
I may be able to reluctantly accept illegal renovation as a reason for demolition but “illegally storing copies” of the Koran?
Remember, this is the same government which thinks that it has “an exclusive rights to the selection of all future reincarnations of Tibetan lamas and have ordained that the Dalai Lama must be a citizen of China.”
