More than a year after a powerful earthquake struck central Myanmar, Mandalay’s Muslim community says dozens of mosques remain in ruins, with worshippers forced to pray in fields, tents or even on the streets.

The 7.7‑magnitude quake in March 2025 destroyed 183 mosques nationwide, including 152 across 17 townships in Mandalay Region. In Mandalay city alone, over 50 mosques collapsed, with 33 reduced to rubble. Among them were historic sites such as Kan Ywar and Shwe Bone Shein, built in the late 19th century during the Amarapura era.

Local imams say repeated appeals to the military regime have gone unanswered. “There has still been no reply from authorities. We are only allowed to build temporary shelters for prayers,” one cleric told The Irrawaddy. At Shwe Bone Shein, residents report being denied permission even for a temporary structure.

Officials insist reconstruction requires the land to be formally designated as “religious land,” a bureaucratic hurdle that has stalled progress. Only about 40 mosques in Mandalay currently enjoy such recognition. Applications must pass through up to 16 government offices, including Land Records, Religious Affairs and Archaeology, leaving communities trapped in red tape.

The earthquake damaged 5,588 religious buildings nationwide, including Buddhist monasteries, Hindu temples and churches. Yet Muslim leaders argue their communities face disproportionate delays. “We are not asking for funds. We only want the legal right to rebuild our own mosques destroyed by the quake,” one Islamic leader said.

While some Buddhist monasteries and churches are also waiting for approval, Mandalay’s Muslims say the lack of response has left them particularly exposed. For now, prayers continue under the open sky — a stark reminder of how natural disaster and political obstruction have combined to erode religious life in Myanmar’s second‑largest city.

-2026-06-17

It’s ironic isn’t it?

A lack of Mosques in Burma and fxxking thousands of the things in the UK.

Guess, sometimes you just get lucky.

2 hours ago, Keeenok Powell said:

It’s ironic isn’t it?

A lack of Mosques in Burma and fxxking thousands of the things in the UK.

In the uk, they should be pulled down and a pubic toilet built in there place.

On 6/17/2026 at 10:15 AM, geovalin said:

Local imams say repeated appeals to the military regime have gone unanswered. “There has still been no reply from authorities.

Aside from not being a Burmese junta priority...................You can bet your bottom dollar that it's a condition of China's financial and military support.......................