The United States is closely monitoring how Myanmar leaders quell a wave of sectarian violence, urging them to respect human rights in ending the bloodshed, an official said Wednesday.
Deadly Buddhist-Muslim violence has left 40 people dead in the past week, presenting the Southeast Asian nation with one of its most serious challenges since the ruling junta ceded power to a reformist government two years ago.
President Thein Sein, a former general, has declared a state of emergency and sent out troops to restore order. There was also a show of military force at an annual military parade Wednesday, joined for the first time by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
"We do remain deeply concerned about the communal unrest in central Burma," State Department acting deputy spokesman Patrick Ventrell told reporters, using the country's former name.
"We are urging Burmese authorities... to restore order and maintain peace in a manner that respects human rights and due processes of law... So that's really the appropriate role for the military."
He acknowledged though that the transition to full civilian rule was a "work in progress," and refused to be drawn on Suu Kyi's presence at the parade in the capital Naypyidaw.
The United States has moved to lift virtually all sanctions imposed on Myanmar during military rule, and pledged aid and assistance to the government as it transitions to full democracy.
But rights groups have argued that nations have moved too fast in rewarding the reforms in Myanmar, saying many issues remain unresolved.
"We're watching how they're implementing the rule of law, how they're responding to this outbreak of ethnic violence," a State Department official said, asking not to be named.
"Are they going to do it in a way that's not sort of a crackdown? Are they going to do it in a way that brings calm and safety and in a professional way?" he asked.
But asked about whether there was concern about the military parade, the official replied: "It's one event and we don't want to make a broader determination about what it might mean for civilian-military relations."
AFP
Wed Mar 27 2013
![US watching handling of Myanmar violence US watching handling of Myanmar violence](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2013-03/71364428395_295x200.jpg)
![SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720679430_AbdulKarimRahman.jpg)
SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan
Sepak takraw wanita berpasukan berkemungkinan akan digugurkan daripada senarai acara temasya Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) 2024 berikutan jumlah penyertaan kurang daripada jumlah minimum yang ditetapkan.
10 Berita Pilihan - (16 Julai 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
![Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/41702437730_maut.jpg)
Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok
Enam orang ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok, Thailand pada Selasa laporan media tempatan yang memetik polis Bangkok.
AWANI 7:45 [16/07/2024] - Suspek dibawa ke lokasi | Selamat tinggal rakyat Malaysia | Harimau Malaya hilang taring?
- Polis sahkan suspek bunuh Kartini anggota polis.
- Pan-Gon enggan dedah punca letak jawatan.
- Faisal Halim sedih mentor Pan-Gon undur diri.
- Pakai reben putih di Parlimen, tak salah.
- Pan-Gon enggan dedah punca letak jawatan.
- Faisal Halim sedih mentor Pan-Gon undur diri.
- Pakai reben putih di Parlimen, tak salah.
![Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-05/71683779541_TBNAJIBRAZAK.jpg)
Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum
Berdasarkan sistem e-filing mahkamah, rayuan itu telah ditetapkan untuk pengurusan kes pada 7 Oktober ini.
![Pangsapuri mewah bernilai RM1 juta menanti pemenang emas Olimpik Pangsapuri mewah bernilai RM1 juta menanti pemenang emas Olimpik](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51721138010_HannahYeoh.jpg)
Pangsapuri mewah bernilai RM1 juta menanti pemenang emas Olimpik
Hannah Yeoh berkata Jawatankuasa RTG telah menerima tawaran daripada pemaju hartanah, Top Residency, yang berminat untuk menghadiahkan pemenang pingat emas pertama.
![E-sukan harus dijadikan kepentingan sehingga ke peringkat lebih tinggi E-sukan harus dijadikan kepentingan sehingga ke peringkat lebih tinggi](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721128633_MohdHidayatMohdSa.jpg)
E-sukan harus dijadikan kepentingan sehingga ke peringkat lebih tinggi
Kerajaan juga harus wujudkan sebuah dasar yang jelas supaya kepentingan e-sukan ini mampu diperkembangkan ke masa hadapan.
![Kerajaan pandang serius penularan ideologi liberalism, pluralism Kerajaan pandang serius penularan ideologi liberalism, pluralism](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61721122322_ZulkifliHasan.jpg)
Kerajaan pandang serius penularan ideologi liberalism, pluralism
Kerajaan sentiasa memandang serius terhadap penularan ideologi dan aliran pemikiran yang bercanggah dengan ajaran Islam seperti ideologi liberalism dan pluralism agama.
![Tidak dapat tidak, atlet RTG mesti bawa pulang emas - MOM Tidak dapat tidak, atlet RTG mesti bawa pulang emas - MOM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-03/61710754100_MohdNazifuddinNaji.jpg)
Tidak dapat tidak, atlet RTG mesti bawa pulang emas - MOM
Atlet di bawah projek Road To Gold (RTG) tidak mempunyai pilihan selain memenangi emas yang diidam-idamkan Malaysia pada Sukan Olimpik 2024 di Paris.
![KEDA peruntuk RM3.37 juta tahun ini bagi keterjaminan makanan KEDA peruntuk RM3.37 juta tahun ini bagi keterjaminan makanan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-09/41693913999_RubiahWang.jpg)
KEDA peruntuk RM3.37 juta tahun ini bagi keterjaminan makanan
Lembaga Kemajuan Wilayah Kedah (KEDA) memperuntukkan RM3.37 juta pada tahun ini bagi memastikan keterjaminan makanan negara.