Eid Mubarak, Айт маарек болсун, Ramadan kareem, Ein gesegnetes Ramadanfest … to all my friends, colleagues, interlocutors across the world who are celebrating today!

This year, my thoughts are with all Muslims in Myanmar, particularly those most heavily affected by the earthquake. After a month of fasting, which is physically and psychologically challenging, instead of celebrating with their family and friends, they are searching for or burying their loved ones. For many children there might be no new clothes and toys today and no sweets. There will also be no places to pray as many mosques have collapsed.

Dozens of religious buildings in Mandalay are gone. This is partly due to the fact that – particularly for Islamic congregations – it has been near impossible to get official permits from the authorities to renovate the often dilapidated structures. Many stem from colonial times. I have seen in Yangon, how both Sunni and Shia congregations had to patch up holes in ceilings, stop water leaks and support crumbling walls without being able to properly renovate.

The landscape of Mandalay in particular will be changed and almost certainly, mosques will not be allowed to be rebuild. While human lifes are of course more important than buildings, these buildings have provided shelter and food for the less fortunate. Within their walls there was possibility for safe conversations, education was given for free in subjects not taught at public schools and in universities (not only about Islam, but also literature or English language), and they offered a space both for individual contemplation as well as for gathering and celebrating together.

Today, on Eid, it would be more than a nice gesture to donate to the victims in Myanmar – independently of their and our religious belief! I am copying the three links from my previous post below. In any case, make sure that your money does not go to the military by donating to small-scale initiatives instead.

1. Better Burma (https://lnkd.in/erq79zv6)

2. Advance Myanmar (https://lnkd.in/eQiC_8ut)

3. My PhD student from Mandalay, Nickey Diamond (Ye Myint Win), is collecting funds (https://lnkd.in/eNgZdGjD)

Please repost this and – if you can afford it – please help the people of Myanmar – they deserve it!

Thank you. ကျေးဇူးပါ။

(photo: Judith Beyer. The famous “Nylon ice cream bar” in Mandalay, December 2009)