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| Dozens Dead in Myanmar as Sectarian Violence Erupts Again | Dozens Dead in Myanmar as Sectarian Violence Erupts Again |
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| PHITSANULOK, Thailand — A resurgence of sectarian violence in western Myanmar has left more than 60 people dead, according to a local government official, and is renewing concerns that tensions could spread to other parts of the country during a fragile transition from authoritarian rule to democracy. | |
| Win Myaing, a local government official, said by telephone on Friday that 64 people had been killed and more than 2,000 homes destroyed during seven days of sporadic fighting. Some casualties were attributed to security forces opening fire on crowds. | |
| Reports from Rakhine State, the area of the fighting, paint a picture of a chaotic and bloody week of clashes between Buddhist and Muslim communities that are increasingly segregated after thousands of Muslims, a minority in the country, fled to refugee camps during the last outbreak of violence in June. | Reports from Rakhine State, the area of the fighting, paint a picture of a chaotic and bloody week of clashes between Buddhist and Muslim communities that are increasingly segregated after thousands of Muslims, a minority in the country, fled to refugee camps during the last outbreak of violence in June. |
| This week’s violence again put Muslims on the run. Hundreds of Muslim villagers fled onto boats and some are still at sea, according to a community leader. The United Nations said people were also heading to the already overcrowded refugee camps it helped set up after the earlier clashes. | This week’s violence again put Muslims on the run. Hundreds of Muslim villagers fled onto boats and some are still at sea, according to a community leader. The United Nations said people were also heading to the already overcrowded refugee camps it helped set up after the earlier clashes. |
| Amid the confusion, Mr. Win Myaing had initially given the death toll as 112. It was impossible to independently confirm the figures, or how people had died. One Buddhist activist reported that some Buddhists had been wounded by gunshots from the security forces. | Amid the confusion, Mr. Win Myaing had initially given the death toll as 112. It was impossible to independently confirm the figures, or how people had died. One Buddhist activist reported that some Buddhists had been wounded by gunshots from the security forces. |
| Even before the latest clashes, the Buddhist-led government has faced international criticism over its treatment of a Muslim group in the west called the Rohingya, members of which have been denied citizenship although many have lived in Myanmar, also known as Burma, for generations. | |
| The renewed violence also raised new worries about the impact on much-needed economic development. In the port city of Kyaukpyu, violence flared near a Chinese pipeline project, forcing many Chinese workers to take shelter indoors, according to one resident. | The renewed violence also raised new worries about the impact on much-needed economic development. In the port city of Kyaukpyu, violence flared near a Chinese pipeline project, forcing many Chinese workers to take shelter indoors, according to one resident. |
| The fighting has been confined to a relatively narrow slice of the country, along the western border. But in a sign of spreading tensions, Muslim leaders across Myanmar said they would not celebrate the important Muslim holiday of Id al-Adha, partly out of security concerns and partly to protest what they view as discrimination against Muslims in the west. The holiday, which lasts several days, began Friday in most parts of the world. | The fighting has been confined to a relatively narrow slice of the country, along the western border. But in a sign of spreading tensions, Muslim leaders across Myanmar said they would not celebrate the important Muslim holiday of Id al-Adha, partly out of security concerns and partly to protest what they view as discrimination against Muslims in the west. The holiday, which lasts several days, began Friday in most parts of the world. |
| The secretary general of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, said in a statement on Thursday that the country’s “fabric of social order could be irreparably damaged” if the violence was not curtailed. The statement also said the transition to democracy would be in jeopardy if “vigilante attacks, targeted threats and extremist rhetoric” were not stopped. | |
| About 50 people were killed in the initial spasms of violence in June between Buddhists and Muslims, some of whom are Rohingya. The group is widely reviled by the Buddhist majority for complex historical reasons, including resentment of British colonial policies that brought many Indians to the country. | About 50 people were killed in the initial spasms of violence in June between Buddhists and Muslims, some of whom are Rohingya. The group is widely reviled by the Buddhist majority for complex historical reasons, including resentment of British colonial policies that brought many Indians to the country. |
| More than 70,000 people, most of them Muslims, remain in the camps set up after that unrest. | More than 70,000 people, most of them Muslims, remain in the camps set up after that unrest. |
| The clashes create new challenges for President Thein Sein, who in his 19 months in power has worked to meet a clamor for economic and political changes while trying to also deal with unsettled relations among the country’s many ethnic groups. He has signed cease-fire agreements with a number of insurgent groups. | The clashes create new challenges for President Thein Sein, who in his 19 months in power has worked to meet a clamor for economic and political changes while trying to also deal with unsettled relations among the country’s many ethnic groups. He has signed cease-fire agreements with a number of insurgent groups. |
| A statement from Mr. Thein Sein’s office on Thursday said the violence in Rakhine State had “a great impact on the national integrity.” But the statement was cryptic about the causes of the violence, blaming “persons and organizations” for manipulating the situation. | A statement from Mr. Thein Sein’s office on Thursday said the violence in Rakhine State had “a great impact on the national integrity.” But the statement was cryptic about the causes of the violence, blaming “persons and organizations” for manipulating the situation. |
| He has set up a commission to look into the earlier unrest, but its work appears to have stalled. He also agreed to allow the international Organization of Islamic Cooperation to provide aid to the Rohingya, but then barred the group from setting up offices in the country. Maung Zarni, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics, said the clashes could complicate the country’s search for foreign investment. | He has set up a commission to look into the earlier unrest, but its work appears to have stalled. He also agreed to allow the international Organization of Islamic Cooperation to provide aid to the Rohingya, but then barred the group from setting up offices in the country. Maung Zarni, a visiting fellow at the London School of Economics, said the clashes could complicate the country’s search for foreign investment. |
| “This is going to damage their efforts to come out and join the international community,” he said. “The minute that large-scale violence flares up, investors start thinking about risk.” | “This is going to damage their efforts to come out and join the international community,” he said. “The minute that large-scale violence flares up, investors start thinking about risk.” |
| The waters off Rakhine State are rich in natural gas, and much of it will be sent to China through a pipeline scheduled to be completed next year. | |
| The Chinese pipeline project now faces instability on both ends: before entering China, the pipeline passes near areas of Kachin State where the Burmese government is battling ethnic Kachin rebels. | The Chinese pipeline project now faces instability on both ends: before entering China, the pipeline passes near areas of Kachin State where the Burmese government is battling ethnic Kachin rebels. |
| The clashes near Kyaukpyu broke out on Tuesday, according to Zaw Win Myint, who owns a stationery store there. | The clashes near Kyaukpyu broke out on Tuesday, according to Zaw Win Myint, who owns a stationery store there. |
| “Crowds from both sides attacked each other with homemade weapons,” Mr. Zaw Win Myint said. | “Crowds from both sides attacked each other with homemade weapons,” Mr. Zaw Win Myint said. |
| A Muslim community leader and a relief worker said hundreds of Muslims from fishing villages near Kyaukpyu took to the sea to escape attacks by Buddhist villagers, who belong to the Rakhine ethnic group. | A Muslim community leader and a relief worker said hundreds of Muslims from fishing villages near Kyaukpyu took to the sea to escape attacks by Buddhist villagers, who belong to the Rakhine ethnic group. |
| In a sign that the violence was spreading beyond the Rohingya community, the Muslims who fled Kyaukpyu are known as Kaman and have also lived in the area for many generations. (Muslims make up about 4 percent of Myanmar’s estimated population of 55 million but are from several ethnic groups.) | In a sign that the violence was spreading beyond the Rohingya community, the Muslims who fled Kyaukpyu are known as Kaman and have also lived in the area for many generations. (Muslims make up about 4 percent of Myanmar’s estimated population of 55 million but are from several ethnic groups.) |
| “Rakhine mobs were attacking Muslim communities and setting fire to houses,” Khin Maung Hla, the Muslim community leader said from his cellphone while on a fishing boat. Some boats sought refuge at a navy base in nearby Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, but others remain at sea, according to the Muslim relief worker who asked that his name not be used. | “Rakhine mobs were attacking Muslim communities and setting fire to houses,” Khin Maung Hla, the Muslim community leader said from his cellphone while on a fishing boat. Some boats sought refuge at a navy base in nearby Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine State, but others remain at sea, according to the Muslim relief worker who asked that his name not be used. |
| Local residents and officials interviewed by phone said the precise cause of this week’s clashes was unclear but some pointed to a localized dispute among young people that flared into a wider conflict. (The violence in June was set off by reports of the rape and murder of a Buddhist woman that was blamed on Muslims.) | Local residents and officials interviewed by phone said the precise cause of this week’s clashes was unclear but some pointed to a localized dispute among young people that flared into a wider conflict. (The violence in June was set off by reports of the rape and murder of a Buddhist woman that was blamed on Muslims.) |
| A Rakhine Buddhist activist, Tun Tun, who visited Buddhist victims of the latest violence in hospitals, said by telephone that many of the injured had been fired on by security forces. | A Rakhine Buddhist activist, Tun Tun, who visited Buddhist victims of the latest violence in hospitals, said by telephone that many of the injured had been fired on by security forces. |
| “Security forces shot the Rakhine without any warning,” he said. | “Security forces shot the Rakhine without any warning,” he said. |
| Win Myaing, the spokesman for the Rakhine State government, confirmed that security forces had opened fire, but said they did so to “to maintain law and order.” He did not say whether the forces shot into the crowd or fired warning shots. | Win Myaing, the spokesman for the Rakhine State government, confirmed that security forces had opened fire, but said they did so to “to maintain law and order.” He did not say whether the forces shot into the crowd or fired warning shots. |