Myanmar arrests over 1,000 law-breaking locals in western state: official

Source:Xinhua Published: 2012-11-17 13:05:50

Myanmar authorities have arrested 1, 081 local people in western Rakhine state under state of emergency declaration for breaking law and basic human rights, official media reported Saturday.

The authorities also detained 940 others and took action on 143 people among them since the Rakhine communal conflict started in May, said the New Light of Myanmar.

The authorities also received thousands of items of illegal arms and accessories such as percussion lock firearms, swords, spears, bows, arrows, spikes and catapults handed over by local people to local police and security forces under an ultimatum order, the deadline of which was set for Nov. 3.

A series of renewed riot in Rakhine state, which lasted for more than a week since Oct. 21, has left 32,231 people homeless.

The death toll was updated to 89 with the number of the injured being 136 as of Oct. 30.

During the fresh riot, 5,351 houses were burnt down in arson fire. Earlier figures also showed that 14 religious buildings and eight rice mills were also destroyed by fire.

The riot, which spread from Minbya to as many as nine areas covering Mrauk U, Kyauk Phyu, Myaebon, Yathedaung, Kyauktaw, Pauktaw, Yanbye and Thandwe, has been reportedly put under control on Oct. 27 and the situation there is returning to normalcy.

The authorities had claimed that legal actions have been taken against 1,058 persons involved in the communal violence from June 8 to Oct. 26 which undermined the stability of the Rakhine state.

Rakhine state has been declared since June 10 a state of emergency along with imposition of dusk-to-dawn curfew in six prior townships -- Maungtaw, Buthidaung, Sittway, Thandwe, Kyaukphyu and Yanbye.

The curfew was extended to Kyauktaw on Aug. 8 and then to Minbya and Mrauk U on Oct. 22 bringing the total number of townships under curfew to nine so far.

Posted in: Asia-Pacific

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