The U.S. Embassy in Myanmar on Wednesday issued a press release condemning violence in Thandwe, Rakhine State, urging Myanmar authorities to respond quickly and decisively to the violence and protect all the residents and their properties.
A Director of a Myanmar government office who does not want to disclose the identity told Mizzima that “handlings [of the violence] differ according to areas. In previous violence, people criticized that the police officers just stood by watching the violence and did nothing." The Director said that they have held meetings to effectively respond to such violence by giving more authority to local officials.
The press release says that “the United States strongly condemns such acts of violence” in Thandwe. It also urges the authorities to thoroughly investigate and hold accountable those responsible for the violence, and provide all necessary protection and assistance to the victims and other vulnerable populations.
It calls on religious and civil society leaders, and citizens "to stand against continued violence targeting Muslim communities, and to promote understanding, mutual respect, and peaceful co-existence among all people in this diverse country.”
The press release also urges the Union government and local authorities "to do more to ensure progress in security, rule of law, justice, humanitarian access, and reconciliation in Rakhine State to stem the sources of on-going tension, and create conditions for sustainable peace and development in the State".
The International Crisis Group also issued a statement on October 1 and criticized riot police’s capability in Myanmar saying that Myanmar riot police has weaknesses in resolving communal violence, so the capabilities of riot police must be strengthened.
In the morning of September 28, a local resident Ye Thi Ha parked his three-wheeler motorcycle taxi, which has a religious sticker, in front of Kyaw Zan Hla’s ‘Ngapali General Store’ near Thandwe city hall. They had a heated argument and that sparked off the sectarian violence.
On October 1, the violence took a turn for the worse with arson attacks. According to the figure compiled on October 2, about 100 homes were torched and five people were killed. A dusk-to-dawn [9:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M.] curfew was imposed in Thandwe on that day under section 144 of the Penal Code. On October 2, the curfew hours was changed to 6:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M.
