Muslims in Laos  Hidden Beyond the Mekong  In terms of economic
and political freedom, Laos still ranks among the most
restricted countries in the world. It is all the more
surprising, therefore, that the country's Muslims enjoy
considerable religious freedom. Yogi Sikand paid a visit to
Southeast Asia's smallest Muslim community  In terms of economic
and political freedom, Laos still ranks among the most
restricted countries in the world. It is all the more
surprising, therefore, that the country’s Muslims enjoy
considerable religious freedom. Yogi Sikand paid a visit to
Southeast Asia’s smallest Muslim community  Azhar mosque in
Vientiane, Laos (photo: Yogi Sikand) There are just two mosques
in the whole of Laos, both of them in the capital Vientiane. The
Azhar mosque (pictured here) is known locally as "Masjid
Cambodia", a reference to the ethnic roots of the people who
worship here  ​​Sandwiched between Thailand to the west, China
to the north, and Cambodia and Vietnam in the east, and with a
population o