Islamic nations urged to protect Myanmar citizens

Myanmar’s Foreign Ministry urged via embassies in Islamic nations to protect Myanmar citizens in their countries, President Office director Zaw Htay said.

The Myanmar’s request was made after a recent clash between Myanmar fishermen and Bengali Muslims in Indonesia. Myanmar fishermen and Bengalis asylum seekers brawled with knives and rocks at an Indonesian immigration detention centre, leaving eight dead and another 15 injured on Friday.

Soon after the violence, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued instructions to Myanmar embassies to concerned Islamic nations including Indonesia to protect life and property of Myanmar citizens.

In addition to Indonesia, we hear of some Myanmar citizens who suffered violence and abuse in Malaysia, the director said.

The fight broke out at the detention centre where Bengalis and Myanmar fishermen are kept, in North Sumatra province on Friday.

The witnesses told the police that the clash started early Friday after a Bengali Muslim cleric and a fisherman got into a heated debate about sectarian violence that erupted last month in central Myanmar, Sumatra police chief Endro Kiswanto said.

The Indonesian authorities have named 25 Bengali Muslims as suspects and they are being questioned. Three other Myanmar escaped unharmed and they are being kept with full security.

Myanmar demanded the Indonesian government to reasonably investigate and explain the cause of the clash [why are knives or weapons capability of harming or killing kept at the detention centre and the situation of securities there], to investigate and punish those involved in the clash and to place emphasis on the security of Myanmar citizens in Indonesia.