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           Seven Muslims Convicted of Killing Buddhist Monk in Burma

   by VOA News

   A court in Burma has convicted seven Muslims for the killing of a
   Buddhist monk during deadly sectarian riots in a central town earlier
   this year.
   Officials say the defendants received sentences ranging from life to
   two years in prison for their involvement in the March 20 incident in
   the town of Meikhtila.
   The unrest began after an argument at a Muslim-owned gold shop turned
   violent and spilled into the streets. The ensuing riots, which mostly
   targeted minority Muslims, killed at least 44 people and displaced more
   than 12,000.
   The gold shop owner and two of his employees, who also were Muslim,
   each were sentenced to 14 years in prison last month. Dozens of others
   have been arrested, but authorities have not announced any charges
   against Buddhists.
   Burmese officials Tuesday denied that religion was a factor in bringing
   the charges, promising all those responsible will be brought to
   justice.
   Many of the riots in Meikhtila were led by extremist Buddhist monks,
   some of whom also were involved in a regional campaign calling for a
   boycott of Muslim-owned businesses.
   The anti-Muslim violence later spread to other areas of central Burma,
   but was contained following the declaration of a state of emergency.
   It was Burma's worst sectarian unrest since last year's clashes between
   Buddhists and ethnic Rohingya Muslims in western Rakhine state, where
   about 200 people were killed and more than 100,000 others left
   homeless.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP.
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   [1]http://www.voanews.com/content/seven-muslims-convicted-of-killing-bu
   ddhist-monk-in-burma/1665194.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/seven-muslims-convicted-of-killing-buddhist-monk-in-burma/1665194.html