Government forces in Myanmar were called into the western state of Rakhine after a series of deadly sectarian clashes forced President Thein Sein to declare a state of emergency. At least seven people have died, with hundreds of homes burned down since Friday. Army troops were deployed in multiple towns to help local police restore order.
Four bodies recently recovered were believed to be ethnic Rakhines, the majority, and predominantly Buddhist, population. Rakhine is also home to the ethnic Rohingyas, who identify largely as Muslim. The Myanmar government views Rohingyas as illegal migrants from Bangladesh, and has not officially recognized the populace as one of the nation’s ethnic minorities. Approximately 800,000 Rohingyas live along the Myanmar-Bangladesh border.
Via Al Jazeera.
