(AP) The conflicts between the Buddhist majority and the Muslim minority forcing thousands to flee. AP follows Myanmar Authorities in the former Burma, now Myanmar, has declared a state of emergency in four settlement areas in the central part of the country. What should have occurred as an argument in a jeweler’s shop in town Meikhtila, escalated into clashes between Buddhists and Muslims. Entire neighborhoods were burned and mobs of angry Buddhists filled the streets, writes Reuters. Twenty people, including a Buddhist monk, have been killed and dozens of people have been injured since Wednesday, said Win Htein, opposition politician in the party National League for Democracy, told Reuters. The events have similarities with the violent clashes last year, when it was estimated that over 800 houses were burnt down in the town Kyauk Pyu. VGTV: - Attacks with swords and knives This week had hundreds of Muslims flee their homes and seek refuge in a sports arena, enlightened local authorities Friday. - As I stepped out of my car, joining a group of people to attack me. They attacked me with swords and knives, said one of the people who were attacked on their way to the arena to the news agency. In town Meikhtila was at least a mosque, an Islam school, several shops and a government office set on fire. Reuters reports that the home belonging to both Buddhists and Muslims were lit on. BACKGROUND: ‘Burma’ Roma ‘is killed and chased fleeing Suspect military Spokesman: Khairul Amin, Rohingyas spokesman in Norway. Photo: Photo: PRIVATE Khairul Amin, Chairman of Rohingyas Community in Norway belong rohingyaene, one of the Muslim minorities in Myanmar. VG As previously discussed, this ethnic group were killed and driven from their homes. - Most people who live in Meikhtila are Buddhists, but a third are Muslims from India. They have lived there very long. Several hundred years, says Amin told VG Nett. He says that the quarrel began in a jewelery shop owned by a Muslim shopkeeper in town Meikhtila. The racket shall be spread when other Buddhists learned of the quarrel. - In the beginning was around 100 Buddhists attacked shops and houses and set them on fire. There are also rumors that the military participated in the attacks. There were also one or more groups that were behind the earlier disturbance. I suspect it is the former military behind. They will have power back and making it difficult for the government to control, says Amin told VG. He describes the situation in the country deteriorated over the past year. - It just gets worse and worse. They have said that they do not want our people to the land. There has been killed just over 10,000 people. The situation is particularly bad because the outside world does not know what’s going on. We can not call in or out, and the media is controlled, he said. - Eide should not have said this - DUTY TO PROTECT: Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide said Myanmar’s government must protect human rights in the conflict between Buddhists and Muslims in the country. Photo: CLIFF OWEN / AP / NTB SCANPIX When Myanmar President Thein Sein visited Norway in February, the situation of the country’s Muslims a topic in meetings with Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. - What we are requesting is that all people living in Myanmar are treated with respect and in accordance with human rights. But there is disagreement about this with citizenship. There we have encouraged dialogue, Stoltenberg said at the press conference, according to Aftenposten. Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide elaborated on this by saying that there was such a country is obliged to give citizenship to all who live there. - There is nothing we do is going to require. Some critical environments, like any country would be taken against people from the neighboring country and made them citizens, Eide said according to the newspaper. This reacts Rohingyas spokesman Amin strongly. - This is a way to encourage Myanmar to beat down harder on Muslims. He should not have said this, says Khairul Amin told VG. Above VG elaborates Espen Barth Eide initiative. - What was the main point in my interview, and talks with Thein Sein, is that governments have a duty to protect all citizens, both those with and without citizenship. They are entitled to get the human rights safeguarded. We are very concerned Rohingyaenes situation, said the Foreign Minister. He stressed that Myanmar’s Prime Minister agreed to this and the issue of citizenship was one of the elements in the discussion. - Obviously has been misunderstood that I mean that they should not have citizenship. It is also important to remember that the government is not a party to the conflict between extremist Buddhists, some monks and the Muslim minority, says Eide. Foreign Minister impressions of the past week’s violence is that Myanmar’s government takes those seriously. - The point is to put pressure on the authorities to get them to do their job. The country has had a harsh dictatorship and has now opened up. It has many positive effects, but also opened up a conflict that one must attempt to resolve, he said. PICTURE SPECIAL: Martial law in Myanmar - A serious deterioration CONCERNED: Audun Aagre, Chairman of the Norwegian Burma Committee, describes the situation in Myanmar as serious. Photo: THE NORWEGIAN BURMA-COMMITTEE Audun Aagre, Chairman of the Norwegian Burma Committee, confirms that it is difficult to get information out of the country. He describes the situation in Myanmar now that the difficult and serious. - It’s very serious. There has been previous clashes, especially in Rakhine State. Then you centrally tried to tone down the religious conflict. What you see now is an aggression directed at a Muslim minority. There is a serious deterioration of the situation. There are Muslims all over Myanmar and you get clashes between these groups that put democratization and peace process in jeopardy, says Aagre to VG. He is more cautious when it comes to speculation about the military forces are behind. - For many, such a link nearby, but it is not always the way it is. The reason lies in the underlying contradictions, and it takes a little more before it flares up. It should be very little before it triggered anger directed at Muslims. When one gets clashes and military have in, it is important to have an international presence in order to avoid speculation about who is behind, he said. The chairman hopes that the Norwegian government will put pressure on Myanmar’s president Thein Sein. - Norway has a good relationship with the government. It is important to use this position to ensure that Myanmar protects the Muslim minority but with international observers present, said Aagre. - See more at: rna-press/en/articles/21862.html#sthash.AhDbjxYA.dpuf
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 01:42:56 +0000
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