Khabar South Asia in Dhaka
By Shariar Sharif
November 15, 2012
![Army soldiers supervise reconstruction of Buddhist temples destroyed in September 29th attack in southeastern Ramu subdistrict. The government has undertaken a project to rebuild the temples and homes and the work has begun in earnest a month after the attack perpetrated by suspected Muslim radicals. [Shoiab Sayeed/Khabar]](http://khabarsoutheastasia.com/shared/images/2012/11/15/121115_PINTU_TEMPLE-310_207.jpg)
Army
soldiers supervise reconstruction of Buddhist temples destroyed in
September 29th attack in southeastern Ramu subdistrict. The government
has undertaken a project to rebuild the temples and homes and the work
has begun in earnest a month after the attack perpetrated by suspected
Muslim radicals. [Shoiab Sayeed/Khabar]
In an effort to heal
the wounds inflicted by the recent violence on minority Buddhist
community in southeastern Ramu, authorities have undertaken a massive
rebuilding effort.
Only six weeks ago, southeastern Ramu was in smouldering ruins. Mobs
of radical Islamists had terrorised the Buddhist community in this
subdistrict of Cox’s Bazar, smashing keepsakes and torching homes and
temples.
Now the government has begun repairing the damage, in an effort to
heal the wounds and to demonstrate that the majority of Muslims embrace
tolerance and do not condone religious hatred. The swift response has
drawn praise.
“We’re truly overwhelmed by the quick response of the administration,
army and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) who have come forward to
help us,” local writer Darpan Barua told Khabar South Asia.
The government has earmarked an initial allocation of 120m taka
($1.5m) and more funding is being set aside to meet the total
reconstruction cost. The final figure could surpass 800 crore taka ($1.1
billion), according to Nurul Islam, Additional Commissioner for
Chittagong Division, who is leading a team of experts.
On one recent morning, about 20 labourers could be seen at work,
engaged in the reconstruction of several damaged temples. They were
being supervised by a team of army soldiers and Buddhist monks.
“We have begun reconstructing the temples from October 30th and we
hope to complete the entire work in the next six months,” said Major
S.M. Anwar Hossain of the Army Engineering Corps, which supervises the
reconstruction effort.
Prime minister donates money to rebuild homes
Before the temple reconstruction got under way, the authorities had
already moved to reconstruct homes that were damaged or ruined in the
mob attacks. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina donated money from her own
personal fund in order to repair 24 houses.
Construction of nine of these has already been completed under army
supervision. Each affected family received $2,500 from the prime
minister’s fund, $1,200 from the relief and rehabilitation ministry and
$300 from the army.
Tatu Barua, whose own home was torched in the attack, confirmed to Khabar that the rebuilding process is under way.
“We have over $12,000 from the government and some NGOs and we are building new homes with the money,” he said.
‘A senseless attack’
Buddhists make up only around 1% of the country’s 153 million people.
The September 29th assault against them drew widespread condemnation in
this Muslim-majority country, where communal harmony has generally
prevailed.
The attackers destroyed 19 temples and burned more than 50 homes in
what some suspect was a brutal retaliation for the mistreatment of
Rohingyas in Burma. Dhaka has said it believes Rohingya migrants –
forced out of Burma amid harassment by the Rakhine ethnic community –
were involved in the violence that gripped Ramu.
The mobs were reportedly set off by an anti-Islamic Facebook posting,
allegedly uploaded by Uttam Barua, a 26-year-old Buddhist. He has
denied that he did so and says his account was hacked.
“It was a senseless attack and Bangladesh lost valuable archeological
artifacts with the destruction of the Buddhist temples,” said Shah Sufi
Mustafizur Rahman, professor of archeology at Jahangirnagar University.
Authorities have arrested more than 300 suspected perpetrators. The investigation is continuing
SOURSE:BUDDHIST ART NEWS
Varkala: Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, who arrived here on
Friday to attend religious functions, said at the inaugural function of
the Sivagiri Mutt's 80th annual pilgrimage at Varkala that we should
attempt to attain peace in the 21 century. The 20th century was marred
with bloodshed and violence. And everyone should try to avoid these in
the 21st century. Many are being killed in battles and domestic violence
and more discussions are needed on this, he said.
വര്ക്കല:
ഇരുപത്തിയൊന്നാം നൂറ്റാണ്ട് സമാധാനത്തിന്റേതാക്കാന് പരിശ്രമിക്കണമെന്ന്
ടിബറ്റന് ആത്മീയ നേതാവ് ദലൈലാമ ആഹ്വാനം ചെയ്തു. ശിവഗിരിയില് 80-ാമത്
ശിവഗിരി തീര്ത്ഥാടന വിളംബര സമ്മേളനം ഉദ്ഘാടനം ചെയ്ത്
സംസാരിക്കുകയായിരുന്നു അദ്ദേഹം. 
