(Direct translation of blog
posts from the MEG and other Burmese blogs.)
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| Burmese soldiers entering Meik-hti-lar?? |
The deadly clashes between the Burmese-Buddhists (bamars) and
Bengali-Muslims (kalars) are spreading like wildfire all over the town and even
spilling over to the nearby townships of the riots-torn district of
Meik-hti-lar.
As per the president’s order three light infantry battalions from
the 77th Light Infantry Division based at Indagaw have entered the district
of Meik-hti-lar today. The three riot-police battalions already in Meik-hti-lar
have been seriously overwhelmed and unable to bring the situations under
control during three long days of rioting in Meik-hti-lar town alone.
The deadly race riots started on March 20 and are now already
three days old and do not appear to be abating and ending soon as the restless
native Buddhists have taken their anguish and desperation out on the Bengali-Muslims
prospering and rapidly growing as a minority group among them.
Following is president Thein Sein’s “Declaration of Emergency”
in the race-riots-torn district of Meik-hti-lar consisting the townships of
Meik-hti-lar, One-dwin, Ma-hlaing, and Thar-zee.
Declaration of
Emergency
1. Because of the dire
situations preventing the restoration of law and order in the Meik-hti-lar Township
of Meik-hti-lar District in Mandalay Division the Act-144 has been declared since
20 March 2013 so that the peaceful existence and the security of the people can
be restored.
2. But the violent
unrests have been spreading widely and imposing of the Act-144 alone is not
sufficient enough to restore the civil administration in the townships of
Meik-hti-lar, One-dwin, Ma-hlaing, and Thar-zee of the District of
Meik-hti-lar. To restore law and order in said townships as quickly as possible
I declare Emergency in the district of Meik-hti-lar from today in accordance
with the Sub-Act (A) of the Act-412 of the Constitution of Union of Myanmar.
3. Tatmadaw (Burma
Army) will be brought in to help restore law and order in the Meik-hti-lar
District in accordance with the Sub-Act (A) of the Act-413 of the Constitution
of Union of Myanmar.
4. This Declaration of Emergency will be in
effect from today till another related order is issued.
5. This order has
same authority like a law.
Thein Sein
President
Republic of the Union
of Myanmar
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| A huge mosque burning in Meik-hti-lar on March 21. |
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| Formation of Official Investigation Commission on the Meik-hti-lar race riots. |
To be continued ……
