August 26th, 2013
M-Media
Kyaw Min Swe, editor-in-chief of the Voice Weekly Journal questioned the Burmese authorities for lacking of systematic embodiment of law and order across the country although the series of religious violence sparked clashes in at least three other towns which were followed by the latest one in Kanbalu which is his birth place.
He wrote, “It is such a shame for the authorities who are still unable to control the situation even though there are continuous (violence) across the country…. I want to ask who is in command for riot-polices who can fire the warning shots into the sky to disperse the mobs but they could not do it so before arsons on the houses owned by Muslims.” on his personnel Facebook page.
Furthermore he pointed out the plot of the stories background of the series of violence which were almost the same, the rumors of sexual assault spread followed by the violence. He also expressed his suspicion in the group who had gathered at the police station and demanded the accused molester be handed over to them, as they were unfamiliar to the locals.
The critical point is that on 9th July, Kyaw Min Swe had already warned off the Burmese netizens not to pay any attention to a Facebook note of U Wirathu page which contains deceitful report of an arson attempt at No.4 quarter in Kanbalu township as that report stirred up the things so that the reader may conclude the Muslims were attempted arsonists.
Although a couple of suspicions in targeting Kanbalu for religious violence raised before it happened by the civilians like Kyaw Min Swe, the Ministry of Information still reports by boldly addressing attempted rape of a Buddhist woman by a Muslim man. They never have expressed about the concern of the same story happened again and again since last year.
Because of the violence, more than 200 people have been killed since June last year and 140,000 displaced. The vast majority of victims have been Muslim. But the authorities are still wondering who will be the master behind this series of anti-Muslim violence.
BBC reported by quoting the saying of its staff, Jonathan Head in Bangkok that the violence is a stark reminder of how much anti-Muslim sentiment there is in Burma and how little the authorities are doing to contain it.
Experts are also expressing their concerns over 2015 election in the light of this religious violence. The advice might be even raised to the Muslim minorities to be in hideouts before 2015 election result come out.
Ref:
https://www.facebook.com/kyawms/posts/10151547215643940
https://www.facebook.com/ven.wirathumsy/posts/292074737602708
https://www.facebook.com/kyawms/posts/10151634402153940
