A sign which read as “Muslim-free” area was put up at Phaya Gyi Gone village in Kuaung Kone Township recently. The village, which has a strong influence of the Race and Religion protection Committee (Ma Ba Tha) put up the sign under the leadership of a monk from Dhamma Wihara monastery U Thu Nara. A similar sign was put up at nearby Shount Gayat village that sign was erected near a Dhama school monastery. According to a traveler to the village who commented on 22 April said a significant feature of that village was that all households put up Buddhist flags in front of their houses. A sign critical of Muslims were also put up at the entrance of Shount Gayat village, which read as “do not feed tigers, and do not give Muslim a place to live, if you feed a tiger it will bite you and if you give Muslims place to live they will destroy our country, race and religion”. The sign was put up by Sasana Hita Kari head monks together with nationalists villagers. Another sign, which says, “Settlement of Muslims, selling of houses to Muslims and marriage to Muslims are prohibited”. The village administrators has ignored the sign. Among the townships in Ayeyarwaddy Region Ma Ba Tha has strongest influence over the Kyone Kone Township. When the group organize events people from almost all villages nearby the town join them. All township in the Ayeyarwady Region has Ziwita Dana Buddhist charity groups. A religious tension was erupted in Kyone Kone on 5 October 2013, after a Muslim man U Hla Win (a.k.a) U Bu Lay was accused of committing of a Buddhist woman. During the tension, people from these villages tried to march to the town center but the police prevented them from doing so.