Sittwe calm again; one killed in riot

Sittwe calm again; one killed in riot

Published on Saturday, 29 March 2014 21:12

An UNHCR's office in Sittwe Township (Photo - EMG)

Order has been restored in the Sittwe Township, Rakhine State, yesterday after a two-day riot in which mobs threw stones at houses rented by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs).

"No violence occurred today," said Win Myaing, secretary of the Rakhine State government's information and record making subcommittee, on March 28.

Meanwhile, authorities extended the curfew time imposed in Sittwe from midnight-4am to 6pm-6am on March 27. Security forces also patrolled the area on March 28.

During the riot on March 27, an 11-year old girl was accidentally killed by a bullet as the security forces fired warning shots to disperse the crowd. Her funeral took place at 3pm yesterday.

Nyo Thein May, a daughter of Tin Maung and Win May Thein, was helping her mother with household chores at their home in Ywataunggyi Village, Sittwe, when the bullet entered her back and took her life. Her mother Win May Thein was also slightly injured at her thigh. Her father is a carpenter and her family is quite poor.

"Poor girl! She was at home at that time. Her corpse was buried at 3pm today. Local organisations also helped. Monks and local people attended her funeral," said a relative of Nyo Thein May.

Nyo Thein May was at a student age, but she could not go to school because her family could not afford to send her. She had one younger brother and one younger sister.

The riots erupted in Sittwe on Wednesday (March 26) after local residents saw a foreign staffer at Malteser International take down and disgrace a Buddhist flag, which was flying at her rented house. 

Angered by it, locals demanded the handover of the lady and her spouse from the house. Both of them were later escorted to a police guesthouse since the crowd grew and demanded she be handed over. Malteser International and other offices were attacked on the same day in Sittwe by a mob hurling stones. Security members later dispersed the crowd by firing warning shots.

The woman was later identified as a U.S. citizen, Yvonne Dunton, who works for Malteser International.

The riots continued on March 27. The woman and her spouse were sent back to Yangon that day. The staff at twenty-three NGOs and INGOs in Sittwe were also sent to Yangon by the Rakhine State government on the same day.

How the government will decide in this case of the American woman who took down the Buddhist flag is remained to be seen. Eleven Media reporter asked about it to Win Myaing, secretary of the Rakhine State government's information and record making subcommittee. However, the phone line dropped halfway. Other responsible authorities were also contacted but no one gave answer on it.

Last year, a riot occurred in Okkan Township when a Muslim girl bumped into a Buddhist monk, knocking over his alms bowl. On June 5, two Muslim women were sentenced to two years imprisonment for inciting religious violence.

These problems emerge as it is drawing near to take the national census and Rakhine ethnics are opposing the possible use of 'Rohingya' by Bengalis to identify themselves in national census. Last years, discriminative treatment by the NGOs and INGOs allegedly played a part in causing conflicts in Rakhine State. The current violence has also erupted in connection with an INGO staffer.

There are a total of 68 NGOs and INGOs in Rakhine State. Among them, 19 are not registered organisations, regional MP Aung Win said during the Rakhine State Parliament's session.

"In the current situation, INGOs and NGOs are entering the area in various ways, mentioning the conflicts as their reasons. It is found that some of them are instigating to disgrace the government. They also don't respect the local residents," said MP Aung Win.

Considering a population of just 3 million or 5.53 percent of Myanmar's population, the number of NGOs and INGOs in Rakhine State is relatively large and their work does not significantly improve the lives of local residents, some people criticised.

Regarding the riots on March 26 and 27, the government pledged to conduct all the necessary investigations. On March 28, General Hla Htay Win from the Ministry of Defence led a group of senior officials and visited Sittwe Township to assist in regional peace efforts. Lieutenant-General Hla Min, border affairs deputy minister Major-General Maung Maung Ohn, home affairs deputy minister Brigadier-General Kyaw Kyaw Tun and Police Chief Zaw Win accompanied him in the trip.

http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/sittwe-calm-again-one-killed-in-riot/