|
Yangon:
Hundreds of homes burned and gunfire rang out as sectarian
violence raged for a fifth day between Rohingya Muslims and
Buddhists in western Myanmar on Thursday, pushing the death toll
to nearly 60 and testing the country’s nascent democracy, reported AFP.
Win Myaing, information officer of
Rakhine State government, told Reuters that 56 people, including
31 women, had died and 64 had been wounded as of Wednesday
evening.
Access to Rakhine State was restricted and information hard to
verify, but witnesses said at least three more people were killed
on Thursday.
A statement from the president’s office read on state television
spoke of only 12 people dead as of Wednesday and said 1,948 houses
and eight religious buildings had been destroyed.
It said the international community was watching Myanmar and the
violence was against the interests of the nation.
“Therefore, the police and the army in cooperation with the people
will take effective measures to ensure the rule of law, community
peace and tranquillity,” it said.
Some 1,900 homes and eight religious buildings were destroyed in
arson fire in Myaebon, Mrauk U, Kyauk Phyu and Minbya townships of
Rakhine state.
Authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in Minbya and Mrauk U
towns since Monday night, as riots escalated there, Xinhua
reported.
The government has vowed to punish those fanning the violence
between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists.
The United Nations called for calm, saying large numbers of people
were reported to be seeking refuge in already overcrowded camps
near the state capital, Sittwe.
“The UN is gravely concerned about reports of a resurgence of
inter-communal conflict in several areas in Rakhine State which
has resulted in deaths and has forced thousands of people,
including women and children, to flee their homes,” Ashok Nigam,
UN humanitarian coordinator in Myanmar, said in a statement.
Rights groups such as Amnesty
International have called on Myanmar to amend or repeal a 1982
citizenship law to end the Rohingyas’ stateless condition.
In Washington, the State Department urged Myanmar to grant full
humanitarian access to the affected areas, launch a dialogue aimed
at reconciliation, and op en investigations into the violence.
“We join the international community and call on authorities
within the country, including the government, civil and religious
leaders to take immediate action to halt the ongoing violence,”
State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told a news briefing.
The Rakhine state has been on high alert following similar
violence during May-June, when some 80 people died, and over 2,000
houses and religious buildings were burnt down.
|
Comments
|
Quick links