BURMA-UNREST- LATEST NEWS- BURMA-UN

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Subject: BURMA-UNREST- LATEST NEWS- BURMA-UNREST


DATE=3/24/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-211919
TITLE=BURMA UNREST (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=GARY THOMAS
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:    

INTRO: TENSION IS MOUNTING BETWEEN BUDDHISTS AND MUSLIMS IN 

BURMA.  A GROUP OF BUDDHIST MONKS WAS DETAINED NEAR THE CAPITAL 
AFTER ALLEGEDLY ATTACKING A MUSLIM RELIGIOUS SCHOOL AND 
AUTHORITIES HAVE HEIGHTENED SECURITY IN RANGOON AND MANDALAY.  
V-O-A SOUTHEAST ASIA CORRESPONDENT GARY THOMAS REPORTS.

TEXT:  FEARING A FURTHER SPREAD OF RELIGIOUS-BASED VIOLENCE, 
AUTHORITIES HAVE BEEFED UP SECURITY MEASURES AROUND BUDDHIST AND 
MUSLIM SITES IN  RANGOON AND MANDALAY AFTER FRESH ATTACKS. 

WITNESSES REPORT SOME 100 YOUNG BUDDHIST MONKS WERE DETAINED BY 
AUTHORITIES AFTER A NUMBER OF ATTACKS ON MUSLIM SCHOOLS AND 
MOSQUES SUNDAY.  MONKS ATTACKED AN ISLAMIC RELIGIOUS SCHOOL IN 
THAKAYTA -- SOME 10 KILOMETERS SOUTHEAST OF RANGOON -- SLIGHTLY 
DAMAGING THE BUILDING.  MONKS AND MUSLIMS ALSO ENGAGED IN A 
STONE-THROWING DUEL AT A MOSQUE IN RANGOON.

THE INCIDENTS WERE THE LATEST IN A SURGE OF VIOLENT 
CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN BURMA'S MAJORITY BUDDHIST AND MINORITY 
MUSLIM COMMUNITIES.  BURMA IS 90 PERCENT BUDDHIST AND ONLY ABOUT 
FOUR PERCENT MUSLIM.

THE VIOLENCE ERUPTED JUST OVER ONE WEEK AGO, WHEN MONKS ATTACKED 
MOSQUES AND MUSLIM-OWNED SHOPS AND CAFES IN MANDALAY -- THE 
COUNTRY'S SECOND-LARGEST CITY.  THE ATTACKS WERE SPARKED BY 
RUMORS THAT A MUSLIM HAD RAPED A YOUNG BUDDHIST GIRL.

THERE ARE PERSISTENT REPORTS ONE MONK WAS KILLED BY A GUNSHOT IN 
THE ENSUING CONFRONTATION, BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN INDEPENDENTLY 
CONFIRMED.

THE VIOLENT PROTESTS SOON SPREAD TO RANGOON AND THERE ARE REPORTS
THEY HAVE OCCURRED IN OTHER CITIES, AS WELL.

AUTHORITIES HAVE BLAMED THE VIOLENCE ON "SUBVERSIVE GROUPS INSIDE
AND OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY" AND HAVE PLEDGED TO PROTECT THE MUSLIM 
COMMUNITY.   MANDALAY HAS BEEN PLACED UNDER AN EIGHT P-M TO FOUR 
A-M CURFEW AND MORE SECURITY FORCES HAVE BEEN DEPLOYED AROUND THE
TWO CITIES.  AUTHORITIES SAY SOME OF THE ADDITIONAL SECURITY 
MEASURES ARE PART OF PREPARATIONS FOR ARMED FORCES DAY ON 
THURSDAY.

RANGOON-BASED DIPLOMATIC ANALYSTS -- WHO ASKED NOT TO BE NAMED --
SUGGEST THE  VIOLENCE IS SOCIAL, RATHER THAN POLITICAL, IN 
NATURE.  HOWEVER, THEY CONFESS TO SOME PUZZLEMENT ABOUT IT.  THEY
POINT OUT THE THERAVADA BUDDHISM PRACTICED IN BURMA PREACHES A 
HIGH DEGREE OF RELIGIOUS TOLERANCE.

  // REST OPTIONAL //

HOWEVER, IN A COUNTRY WHERE A TIGHT LID IS KEPT ON DISSENT, ANY 
PROTEST COULD QUICKLY TURN POLITICAL.  AN ARGUMENT IN A RANGOON 
TEA SHOP IN 1988 SNOWBALLED INTO MASSIVE PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTS 
THAT BROUGHT THE HEAVY HAND OF THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT DOWN ON 
DISSENT.  THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE KILLED, IMPRISONED OR 
DISAPPEARED.  (SIGNED)

NEB / GPT / WD