This is a terrible sight: Hundreds of angry motorcycle promote the dusty streets, no one to stop them, armed personnel.
Shouting at the top of their lungs, clutching machetes and iron pipes, long bamboo poles, they repeatedly thrust his fist into the air.
Their anger object: Myanmar embattled minority Muslim community.
Residents gaping glasses backing out Buddhist mob passed. Turned away customers and business owners worried about indoor retreat. And three armed soldiers standing in green camouflage uniforms in a corner quietly watching, doing nothing, despite the emergency decree prohibiting more than five group gatherings.
Last Wednesday in a few hours, at least one person was killed and four wounded, as this northeastern town of Myanmar to become the country's wave of anti-Muslim riots victim.
After a night of heavy rain, Lashio downtown Thursday morning was quiet. Soldiers blocked roads Muslim shops were burned. In one corner, the charred building still smoldering, the Muslim population through the rubble to save any sort. A woman, who a day earlier fled the mob is still a state of shock.
The woman said: "These things should not happen," Egypt days, the Muslim inhabitants. "Most Muslims live in the streets. They fear they will be attacked or killed if they go outside."
Tuesday began in the northeastern city of Lashio violence is casting new doubt President Thein Sein (Thein Sein) whether the government can or will take action to curb struggling to get rid of half a century of military rule still haunts the deep cracks in the country racial and religious intolerance. Muslims have been the main victims of violence, because it last year in the beginning of the western Rakhine State, but so far, most criminal trials involving prosecution of Muslims, rather than a member of the Buddhist majority.
Lashio riots began, reported on Tuesday, a Muslim man pouring gasoline Buddhist woman, her fire. The man was arrested. The woman in her chest, back and hands hospitalized for burns.
Several Muslim mobs burned revenge shops and one of the city's main mosque, along with so severely burned, and only two walls remain an Islamic orphanage, Minden, said residents contacted by telephone.
Wednesday fires are still smoldering in the destroyed mosque, a dozen charred motorcycle lying on a white steeple on the sidewalk below. Army troops standing guard. The wind burned several vehicles, cross-town, pungent odor and the majority of Muslims hiding in their homes.
When the mob came to a huge villa is located in a Muslim-owned cinema, they threw stones at the door, smashing windows. Then they broke inside and ransacked the cinema.
Mawoerma, a 48-year-old Buddhist shopkeeper across the street, said she saw the crowds arrive. They have knives and stones, and in two separate waves.
"I can not see," she said, describing how she shut the doors of her shop. "We were terrified."
A few hours later, mobs are gone, two military trucks and a small contingent of soldiers guarded villa. "I do not know how to think about it," she said. "More casualties ...... not good for anyone."
Government came to power in 2011 promising a new era of democracy and the rule of law, urged the public to remain calm.
"Destroyed religious buildings and religious unrest is inappropriate democratic society, we tried to create," presidential spokesman Ye Htut said in his Facebook page. , "He said:" Any criminal acts will be enforceable.
National Police said nine people were suspected of involvement in two days of violence, but did not say if they are Buddhists or Muslims.
After nightfall, the authorities can be heard on the loudspeakers throughout the city issued a directive to remind residents from dusk to dawn curfew in effect. The sound roared into the night, said: "You are banned carry sticks or swords or weapons of any kind."
Local freelance writer, Kun ZAW Wu said he was hit in the head with an iron pipe, because he shot mob looted shops. He said he managed to escape, but was attacked and seriously wounded companions, still holding the camera.
Myanmar last year in the first outbreak of sectarian violence in western Rakhine Buddhists and Muslims drove approximately 140,000 people, most of whom are Muslims, from the conflict between their homes, there are hundreds of people died. Most still live in refugee camps.
Earlier this month, in two areas of Rakhine State authorities announced a regulation to restrict Muslim family two children. The policy drew sharp criticism from Muslim leaders, human rights groups and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. U.S. State Department spokesman Patrick · Ventrell said on Tuesday that the United States opposes mandatory birth limitation policy, called on Burma, "without delay to eliminate all of these policies."
Conflict seems to be limited to areas of Rakhine State, but in late March, similar to the Buddhist-led violence swept through central Myanmar Meikthila town, killing at least 43 people dead. Earlier this month, the court sentenced seven Muslim violence sentence from Meikthila their roles.
Several other towns in central Myanmar experienced a less deadly violence, mainly involving Muslim businesses and mosques torched.
Muslims constitute about 60 million people in Myanmar about 4%. Anti-Muslim sentiment is closely related to nationalism and the dominant religion of Buddhism, so leaders have been reluctant to speak unpopular minority.
Thein Sein (Thein Sein) The government has been severely criticized, did not take adequate measures to protect Muslims. He vowed to visit the United States during the last week, all of the sectarian violence, the perpetrators will be brought to justice.
 
 



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