>
LASHIO, Myanmar– A fresh outbreak of sectarian violence hit Myanmar prompting the government to declare curfew following destruction of Muslim orphanage and mosque in latest outbreak of unrest.
Myanmar government has called for calm after a fresh outbreak of communal violence in the town of Lashio in Shan state. Mobs burned down a Muslim orphanage, a mosque and shops during a new eruption of religious violence in the northeastern Shan state. The riot killed at least one person while injuring four others, a senior government official said.
Residents said mobs armed with sticks were roaming the streets of Lashio town in Shan State looking for Muslims on Wednesday, while an AFP reporter saw two houses ablaze.
According to presidential spokesman Ye Htut, police fired warning shots to disperse rioters after the Buddhist-Muslim clashes in the town of Lashio in Shan state, adding one man was “hacked to death”.
Authorities imposed a curfew late on Tuesday in Lashio after a mob of 200 local residents surrounded a local police station demanding they hand over a Muslim detainee accused of setting a woman ablaze. Police had earlier claimed the situation was “under control” after an overnight curfew was imposed on Tuesday.
Nay Win, 48, a Muslim, was arrested after allegedly setting fire to Aye Aye Win, 24, a Shan Buddhist, earlier in the day after the two had a noisy argument at a petrol station, Lashio police said.
The woman was admitted to hospital. She suffered burns but was not in a serious condition.
Muslim residents feared another night of violence as bikers lull around the streets shouting anti-Muslim slogans.
An anonymous Muslim told AFP through the phone that ”Almost all Muslim people are trying to stay in safe places… we don’t know how we are going to get through the night.”
Another Muslim local called for more soldiers to enforce the curfew, saying the mob of bikers was threatening to “kill any Muslims they see on the road”.
An estimated less than 2,000 Myanmar Muslims lives in Lashio, whick make up a minority of the city’s estimated population of about 130,000. — Agencies
No comments:
Post a Comment