About 120 people were jailed as of yesterday
for violating the dusk-to-dawn curfew imposed in Mandalay last week following
the latest outbreak of anti-Muslim violence to hit Myanmar, according to
Mandalay District police.
This
followed President Thein Sein's vow to prosecute any one involved in the deadly
clashes.
The
rioting began on the evening of July 1, leaving residents of the country's
second-largest city in a panic. One Buddhist and one Muslin man were beaten to
death on July 2 and 3. Six townships were placed under curfew on July 3, with
145 people detained for violating it on the first night.
A
seventh township, Patheingyi, was added on the weekend after a Buddhist mob set
fire to a Muslim cemetery, following the funeral of one of the slain men.
Police
said yesterday that almost 300 people had been apprehended for violating the
curfew. Township courts had sentenced 118 of them to jail for seven to 15 days
each. More than 30 received seven-day sentences and the rest 15 days, police
said. Others have been released on bail.
Authorities
imposed a partial curfew from Thursday in six of Mandalay’s townships, and
deployed thousands of troops. During the curfew, public gatherings, marches and
speeches were banned, in addition to the curfew imposition from 9pm to 5am.
On the
first day of the curfew police detained 145 people for violating it, but
released them after issuing warnings.
Forty-three
of the 45 people apprehended for curfew violations in Pyigyitagon township -
where the Muslim cemetery was desecrated - were given 15 day sentences, police
said. Only two were released on bail, they added.
Police
said that almost all those released on bail would be tried in court. They said
that in some townships there were too many cases for the local courts to
handle.
More
than 100 people were detained on Monday night for violating the curfew, police
said.
State
media reported yesterday that President Thein Sein called on the public to help
expose the instigators and rioters.
"I
urge all citizens to cooperate with government in exposing the rioters and
learn lessons from it on how to avoid such cases in any other part of the
country," the president said.
He
urged citizens to respect the rights of minority groups, and condemned the riot
instigators for fomenting hatred between communities.
"We
will also take action if freedom of expression harms the security of
state," Thein Sein said.
Yin Myo
Thwe
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