YANGON: At least three people have been killed and five others injured in renewed sectarian riot in Kyauktaw, northern part of Myanmar’s western Rakhine state, which happened over the last two days, local media reported in their websites Tuesday, Xinhua reported.
Mutual arson attacks were committed by rioters, burning up as many as 450 houses in villages in Kyauktaw especially Ah Pauk Wa and Shwe Lin villages including a rice mill.
Kyauktaw lies 128 km from Sittway, capital of the Rakhine state.
The arson followed clashes between local ethnic Rakhinese and Bengalis near a bridge at the entrance gate of Kyauktaw, it said.
Local security forces intervened for restoration of peace, it added.
Kyauktaw has a population of about 100,000, of whom Myanmar ethnic nationalities including Rakhinese account for 60 percent, while Bengali Muslims account for 40 percent, the Immigration Department’s figures were quoted as saying.
The renewed riot also came a day after United Nations Human Rights Envoy Tomas Ojea Quintana ended his six-day mission in Myanmar on last Saturday to look into Rakhine issue.
Quintana asked for independent investigation into the issue but was turned down by the government, according to the website.
Over the past week, Myanmar Vice President Sai Mauk Kham also toured the riot-hit Rakhine state and inspected the progress of rehabilitation work in the state, saying that the issue of the Rakhine incident needs long-term solution and stressing the importance of maintenance of regional peace and stability.
Rakhine state is still under a state of emergency which was declared by the president since June 10 imposing curfew in six affected townships Maugtaw, Buthidaung, Sittway, Kyaukpyu, Yanbye and Thandwe.
According to the ministry statement, 77 people from both communities were killed with 109 people injured earlier. A total of 4,822 houses, 17 mosques, 15 monasteries and three schools were burned down then.