Violence erupted in Myanmar after days of religious tension between Buddhists and Muslims took place in Mandalay, the country's second-largest city.

Myanmari authorities have implemented a curfew in the city to ensure that they contain further violence.

Nine individuals involved in this communal violence have been arrested since the night-time curfew had been carried out.

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According to police reports, they have tightened security measures to ensure that curfews are observed in other cities, including Yangon, because Myanmar has a diverse population. .

The New Light of Myanmar, an online daily, reported eight conflicts that have taken place separately in Mandalay last Tuesday and Wednesday. The conflicts involved large gangs carrying deadly weapons, such as firearms and swords.

Although Myanmar remains a country commited to Buddhism, both Muslims and Buddhists have become victims of violent outbreaks. According to the Human Rights Watch, accusations toward the 969 Movement and other extremist Buddhist nationalist groups have underlined the role of Buddhists in facilitating the recent acts of unrest and brutality.

The goverment suspended access to social media websites, such as Facebook, to restrain online comments that would provoke more violence.

With regard to the Mandalay violence, the conflicts were perceived to have been aggravated by incitements on the Internet. There were speculations that extremists used social media to spread hateful messages against Muslims and encouraged violence against them.

Questions remaine about the role and the influence of the Myanmar government in preventing religious violence. Since 2012, religious tensions have contributed to poverty in approximately 150,000 families and have brought on the deaths of hundreds of residents. Anti-Muslim violence has also been evident in other parts of the country.

TagsMyanmar curfew, Buddhists, Muslims, Religious conflicts