Death toll rises to 40 in Myanmar riot: media
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E-mail Xinhua, March 26, 2013
Death toll in communal riot in Meikhtila, Myanmar's northern Mandalay region, has risen to 40 as of March 24, according to official media report Tuesday.
The death toll added up to 40 from 32 as 8 more bodies were found among the debris while the army men cleared the wreckage in the aftermath of the riot which lasted for three days in Meikhtila from March 20 to 22, leaving 9,600 people homeless.
The situation is now claimed to have returned to normalcy in the township following the declaration of a state of emergency on four critical areas on March 22 with the intervention of the army to help bring about peace in the area.
Local military units, social organization members and municipal staff were clearing the debris over the last few days left by the riot.
Despite calm in Meikhtila, riot reportedly spread to two more areas including Yemethin and Tatkon in the same region where more than 55 houses and some religious buildings were again burned by unidentified groups of mob.
Meanwhile, rumors spread about imminent violence in Mingala Taungnyunt township in Yangon Monday afternoon, causing panic of people in a huge market there.
Following the rumors, Myanmar government's Information Team issued a statement warning that the government will take steps to control and address all forms of violence including instigations that lead to racial and religious tension in accordance with the existing laws and the state constitution.
The statement voiced providing riot victims with emergency accommodation and full security.
The government will also hold workshops aimed at rebuilding trust between communities hit by the conflicts.
The statement called for avoiding acts of violence and religious extremism that could disrupt the country's democratization process and development tasks.
To prevent the occurrence of violence in Yangon amid rumors, Myanmar local township authorities Monday initially imposed restriction on business hours of shops in some two townships in the city -- Tamwe and Pazundaung, ordering them to close after 9 p. m. (local times).
The two townships are about 4 km and 5 km from downtown Yangon respectively.
Meanwhile, Myanmar police force has claimed arrest of a total of 35 suspects linked with Meikhtila and Yemethin riots with 10 more suspects in this connection being wanted.
The riot was sparked by a brawl between buyers and sellers over a bit of gold clip at a gold shop in Meikhtila on March 20, in which 152 houses, one education office and 13 religious buildings were burnt with two motor vehicles and three motor cycles being destroyed.
Relief and rehabilitation work have been underway in riot-hit Meikhtila where six relief camps have been set up.
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