B.RAMAN
The fresh communal clashes between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in the
Rakhine State of Myanmar, which broke out on October 21,2012, have worsened
despite the induction of security forces reinforcements by the Government.
2. While local Government sources have put the
total number of fatalities so far at 20, a despatch of the Associated Press of
the US has put it at 56. Local sources say that many of the latest fatalities
seem to have occurred due to the security forces opening fire to bring rioters
from both the communities under control. Arson attacks at nights have
reportedly led to the destruction of nearly 2000 houses so far.
3. The areas worst affected by the violence and
arson attacks are Minbyar,Mrauk-U,Kyaukpyu and Kyauktaw. Reports from the
affected areas indicate that the security
forces, though inadequately numbered, have been trying to protect the
Muslims by opening fire on rioting Buddhist mobs seeking to attack the Muslims.
This should account for the sudden increase in the number of fatalities.
4. The National League for Democracy (NLD) of Aung
San Suu Kyi issued a statement on
October 25,2012, urging the Government to take further security measures to
stop the ongoing violence and
re-establish peace and security in townships such as Kyaukpyu, Minbyar, Mrauk-U
and Ann.
5.The 88 Generation Students group also released a
statement calling on all people to work
together to resolve this conflict, stressing that a solution must be based on
democracy and human rights. ( 26-10-2012)
(The writer
is Additional Secretary (retd), Cabinet Secretariat, Govt. of India, New Delhi,
and, presently, Director, Institute For Topical Studies, Chennai, and Associate
of the Chennai Centre For China Studies. E-mail: seventyone2@gmail.com Twitter @SORBONNE75)
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