Muslim-Buddhist tension triggers Myanmar emergency rule

The riot-hit Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine remains tense after the government declared a state of emergency as authorities struggle to contain explosive sectarian tensions following deadly clashes between Muslims and Buddhists in the region.

The unrest has been increasing and as riots led to the burning of hundreds of Buddhist villagers’ homes as well as death of less than a dozen over the past days. Violent attacks fueled by “hatred and revenge based on religion and nationality” in Rakhine could spread to other parts of the country, President Thein Sein warned. He said conflicts also threatened to undermine stability, development and moves towards democratization by Myanmar’s new government, which took power last year following decades of outright military rule and has ushered in a series of reforms. Rakhine state is named for its dominant, mostly Buddhist ethnic group, but is also home to a large Muslim population including the Rohingya, a stateless people described by the UN as one of the world’s most persecuted minorities.

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