A group of so-called nationalists have called authorities on 21 April to ban prayers at Islamic schools in Anawmar ward in Tharkayta Township. The members of the Patriotic Dhama Network has called for ban on mass prayers on Muslim holiday of Friday at no 9 Islamic school in Thaykayta and also to shut down the prayer hall inside the school. They have threatened the officials at the ward administration and the local residents to impose ban on prayers. Myat Phone Moh, a member of the Patriotic Dhama Network reportedly told the Head of the Township Administration that his group would not take responsibility if any violent incidents broke out. “They have sign undertaking at your office not to conduct prayers now they are breaching that undertaking, why are you not taking action against them. If you only prohibit they will do again, we do not take responsibility if any problem arises”. Other member of the network Tin Htay Aung a.k.a Ah Kyi Kaung told the ward administrator that “we know how many Kular (a derogatory term use in Myanmar to refer Muslims and people of South Asian origins) live here, we will come back to destroy their homes with a larger numbers of our supporters,” a local resident said. A trustee of an Islamic school said the head of Township Administration told him at 3 p.m. on that day they the authorities would not take responsibility if any problem arises from prayers. Under the pressure from the same group, the authorities asked trustees of the eight Islamic schools in Tharkayta Township not to allow mass prayers in the schools. The trustees signed undertaking on 20 October 2015. Since Thakayta Township was established there is no mosque built in the town. Muslims have been using nine Islamic schools for prayers. During the Muslim holy month of Ramadan last year (in July), the authorities granted temporary permit to conduct mass prayers in the mosque. Thakayta Township among the 9 Islamic schools in Tharkayta one in Man Pyay Ward was sealed off on 17 February 2013 at the pressure of national groups. The closure came after the nationalists groups accused the trustees of the no 3 school of doing refurbishments without permission. Reference: BHRN/Friday Times