China: Concern Over Mosque Destruction And Clashes
By KUNA
Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) expressed on Thursday its deep concern over reports of a clash between local villagers and police resulting in numerous casualties and the destruction of a Mosque in Taoshan village near the town of Hexi, Tongxin County in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
The incident took place when the police raided the re-inauguration gathering at the mosque and the local villagers attempted to prevent the destruction of their place of worship, which was first constructed in 1987 and was recently renovated, an OIC statement said.
The apparent heavy-handed response of local authorities appears to have resulted in several deaths, as well as approximately 50 injured and 100 arrested, the statement added.
“The OIC expresses its concern at the destruction of a place of worship and the loss of life, which is deeply regrettable. The OIC expects the authorities in China to fully accord the rights of Muslims to construct and maintain their places of worship and to also observe their basic rights of conducting congregational rituals freely,” it concluded.
