Myanmar Calls for Calm After Sectarian Assault

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June 5, 2012, 12:07 a.m. ET | Associated Press

YANGON, Myanmar — Myanmar's government warned against "anarchic" activities Monday after 10 Muslims were beaten
to death in an area known for sectarian conflict and a dozen other people were injured in a confrontation with police.

Both events took place Sunday in Rakhine state in remote northwestern Myanmar, an area where relations between Buddhists
and Muslims are strained. State television warned that legal action will be taken against those who broke the law.

<a href="http://s1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/?action=view&amp;current=Myanmardemo2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj559/365Wildfire/Myanmardemo2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The report said 300 people in Taunggup, 300 kilometers north of Yangon, stopped a bus carrying Muslims from a religious
gathering, dragged out the 10 occupants, beat them to death and burned the vehicle. It said anti-Muslim pamphlets had been
distributed in Taunggup relating to the rape and murder of a young Rakhine girl last month, allegedly by three Muslim youths.

Ethnic conflicts are a major cause of instability in Myanmar. Most involve sizable minorities living along the eastern and northern
borders battling the government in pursuit of autonomy.

Most residents of Rakhine, along the frontier with Bangladesh, are Buddhists from the Rakhine ethnic group, but there is also
a large number of Muslims, particularly in northern areas.
 
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