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strong>June 19, Online/AFP

The leading Sunni Muslim seat of learning, Al-Azhar, condemned China on Friday for imposing restrictions on fasting in its mainly Muslim Xinjiang region during the holy month of Ramadhan.

China has banned civil servants, students and teachers in Xinjiang from fasting during Ramadhan, which began on Thursday, and ordered restaurants to stay open.

Your comments:

What a travesty it is when a majority belief system infringes on a minority one. Hopefully Al-Azhar and other major Sunni institutions in Indonesia can remember this simple fact next time a community of Ahmadiyah has to be relocated, or when a church gets terrorized and the cashed-up police do nothing, or even when an atheist gets put in jail for blasphemy just for expressing his opinions.  

If you expect your complaints to be taken seriously by China, you must think they read the news as little as you do.  Feel free to address the many infringements on minorities in Indonesia before you crow too loudly about those against your particular religion in China.

L Millar

In my time in China, including Xinjiang, I saw mosques, churches and temples operating pretty freely. I guess times have changed. It is sad.

Deedee S

Fasting should not affect normal life as this is something that Muslims choose or are compelled to do. Muslims need to respect others that do not follow their beliefs or ways of life. If China, or most of it, does not believe in God, Muslims should respect their right to think that way.

When Muslims learn to respect other religions and atheists and other beliefs that don'€™t agree with theirs, then they will have the right to speak on human rights etc. People need to understand the true meaning of freedom, and when they do, the world will be a better place.

David

Any government must respect the freedom of its people. If they want to fast, they should fast. Some eateries must remain open during legal opening hours to serve those who don'€™t fast.

Ness