Communal tensions bristle in Myanmar after Buddhist militants destroy mosque

June 25, 2016

Yangon, Jun 25: Scores of police have been deployed to guard a village in central Myanmar where religious tensions are running high after a Buddhist mob destroyed a mosque, authorities said Saturday.

myanmarIt is the latest flare-up of anti-Muslim violence in Myanmar, which has seen sporadic bouts of religious bloodshed since 2012, with a surge of Buddhist nationalism presenting a key challenge for Aung San Suu Kyi's new government.

The most recent violence erupted this week when an angry mob of around 200 Buddhists rampaged through a Muslim area of a village in Bago province following an argument between neighbours over the building of a Muslim school.

Own Lwin, the local police chief, said the atmosphere remained tense Saturday with around 100 police officers deployed to keep the peace.

"Last night, 50 police guarded the village to prepare for rumours that there might be more unrest. Now we have arranged a police force of up to 100 officers," he told AFP, adding that no arrests have been made over the destruction of the mosque.

Win Shwe, the mosque's secretary, told AFP that Muslim residents fear for their safety and are planning to move to a nearby town until the tension cools.

"Our situation is not safe and now we are planning to leave the village...We still feel afraid," he told AFP.

Strident anti-Muslim sentiment has fomented across Myanmar in recent years, with outbreaks of violence threatening to unravel democratic gains since the former junta stepped down in 2011.

The worst religious violence struck central Myanmar and western Rakhine State, which is home to the stateless Rohingya Muslim minority, tens of thousands of whom still languish in displacement camps after rioting.

Hardline monks and Buddhist nationalists fiercely oppose moves to recognise the Rohingya as an official minority and insist on calling them "Bengalis" - shorthand for illegal migrants from the border with Bangladesh.

Suu Kyi, a vocal champion for human rights, has been criticised for not taking a stronger stance on the Rohingya or the abuse they face.

This month the UN warned that violations against the group could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate, now leading Myanmar's first civilian government in decades, has asked for "space" while her administration seeks to build trust between religious communities.

Comments

Bopanna
 - 
Monday, 27 Jun 2016

How I wish this happens in India too. No one wants unclean Muslims and their terror teaching mosques in their country. Why would a peaceful community like Buddhists start violence ,? The Muslims must have instigated them....

Satyameva jayate
 - 
Sunday, 26 Jun 2016

Ha ha......and these Buddhist call themselves non violent and peace loving....bloody ...criminals .... terrorists ....
What would happen if it was a temple.......

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May 29,2020

Bengaluru, May 29: The hotel industry is one of the worst-hit industries due to lockdown, along with the tourism industry. Bengaluru's hotel industry has incurred a loss of around Rs 1200 crore during the lockdown period however, the hotels here are likely to open in June if the State government issues guidelines for the resumption of their services.

Speaking to media, PC Rao, President, Bangalore Hotelier's Association said, "It's not only the loss of business, but we have lost the customer base as well. 
We don't expect any good future for the next six months. There will be a slow down in the business even after opening."

"We have requested our CM to give first preference to the hotels. We are going to restart our business in June if granted permission. Around 10 per cent of the hotels cannot open at all. They are in the stage of merging or closing down position. Few hotels may open after five or six months," he added.

He continued saying that many hotels are for sale but there are no buyers. There are around 21,000 restaurants in Bangalore, 3500 hotels with rooms and restaurant which has an average turnover of Rs 20 crores per day, Rao informed.

"We expect losses of around Rs 1200 crores in these two months. We are giving special online training to all the hoteliers and to our managers particularly to deal with the COVID-19 situation, including how to deal with the guests, employees, how to start the hotel services. 

Each and every manager has already been trained and we are still continuing it. We will conduct face to face meeting as well and brief the managers," said Rao.

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coastaldigest.com news network
May 5,2020

Mangaluru, May 5: A day after lockdown was partially relaxed in Dakshina Kannada, a fresh covid-19 positive case was reported today from Boloor area of Mangaluru.

In its fresh bulletin, health and family welfare department today said that the throat swabs of a 51-year-old man from Boloor tested positive for the coronavirus.

Boloor is already declared as corona containment zone in the district after as this is the fourth coronavirus positive case reported from the area.

With this, the total number of coronavirus cases in Dakshina Kannada mounted to 25 including 19 residents of the district and six outsiders who have already left the district after getting treatment.

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coastaldigest.com news network
July 16,2020

Udupi, Jul 16: With two deaths in a single day, and receiving coronavirus positive report of a person who died two days ago, Udupi district’s covid-19 death toll today mounted to eight. 

A-49-year-old resident of Udupi, was admitted to Ajjarkad government hospital for other ailments. He was suffering from multiple health issues like diabetes and respiratory problems.

Last night he was tested positive for coronavirus and hence he was shifted to Dr TMA Pai COVID hospital in Udupi where he breathed his last today. 

A 54-year-old man from Maravanthe in Byndoor taluk, who was suffering from asthma, today died while being taken from one hospital to the other.

He was admitted to a private hospital in Kundapur on the evening of Wednesday. Today he was being shifted to Manipal hospital. However he breathed his last half way through.  

His body was taken back to Kundapur and throat swab of the deceased was sent for testing. As the sample of the deceased person was taken using rapid test kit, his report was available within half an hour and it showed positive for covid-19. 

Meanwhile, throat swabs of a man from Ankola in Uttar Kannada district, who passed away in Manipal Hospital on July 14, were tested positive today. His funeral was held at the Beedinagudde crematorium as per the COVID norms.

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