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Burma Muslim-Buddhist clashes continue in Shan state | |
(about 12 hours later) | |
Buddhist youths have attacked Muslim properties for a second day in the northern Burmese town of Lashio, according to state media. | |
Young men and boys armed with sticks have been roaming the streets in search of Muslim residents, reports say. | |
Police said at least one person had died and Muslim-owned houses and businesses had been set alight. | |
The clashes were sparked by rumours that a Muslim man had attacked a Buddhist woman. | |
He was accused of dousing her with fuel and setting her on fire at a petrol station. | |
Buildings torched | |
Recent months have seen a number of clashes between Buddhist and Muslim communities in Burma. | Recent months have seen a number of clashes between Buddhist and Muslim communities in Burma. |
The violence in Lashio, the capital of Burma's north-eastern Shan state, has spread from western and central regions where tens of thousands of Muslims have been driven from their homes. | |
The unrest - the extent of which remains unclear - reportedly erupted when police refused to hand over to a crowd the man accused of setting the Buddhist woman alight. | |
The woman had been taken to hospital and the man was in police custody, reports said. The authorities have imposed a curfew in the town, according to residents. | The woman had been taken to hospital and the man was in police custody, reports said. The authorities have imposed a curfew in the town, according to residents. |
The fresh outbreak of clashes on Wednesday came despite claims from the authorities that soldiers and police had restored calm. | |
Four people were wounded in fighting that began at about 14:00 local time (07:30 GMT), presidential spokesman Ye Htut said in a Facebook post. | |
One man was "hacked to death", he was reported as saying by the news agency AFP. Police fired guns to disperse rioters. | |
A Muslim orphanage and a mosque were thought to be among the buildings torched. | |
"Damaging religious buildings and creating religious riots is inappropriate for the democratic society we are trying to create,'' Ye Htut said on Facebook. | |
"Any criminal act will be dealt with according to the law." | "Any criminal act will be dealt with according to the law." |
Wave of violence | Wave of violence |
In March, at least 43 people - mostly Muslim - died in violence that erupted after an argument at a Muslim-owned shop in the central town of Meiktila. | In March, at least 43 people - mostly Muslim - died in violence that erupted after an argument at a Muslim-owned shop in the central town of Meiktila. |
The owner of the shop and nine other Muslims were imprisoned last month for that outbreak of violence. As yet no Buddhists have been convicted over the Meiktila clashes. | The owner of the shop and nine other Muslims were imprisoned last month for that outbreak of violence. As yet no Buddhists have been convicted over the Meiktila clashes. |
Ethnic violence in Rakhine state last year left nearly 200 people dead and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. | Ethnic violence in Rakhine state last year left nearly 200 people dead and forced tens of thousands of people from their homes. |
The conflict that erupted in Rakhine involved Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, who are not recognised as Burmese citizens. | The conflict that erupted in Rakhine involved Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims, who are not recognised as Burmese citizens. |
The communities remain largely segregated in the wake of the violence, with many displaced Rohingya Muslims living in tents or temporary camps. | The communities remain largely segregated in the wake of the violence, with many displaced Rohingya Muslims living in tents or temporary camps. |
Human rights groups have criticised Burmese authorities for being complicit in the persecution of the Rohingya. | Human rights groups have criticised Burmese authorities for being complicit in the persecution of the Rohingya. |