Ethnic Cleansing of the Rohingya in Burma
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A refugee crisis has emerged for the Rohingya minority as Burmese authorities have attempted to isolate tens of thousands of the Muslim minority group out of Burma after months of violent clashes. The conflict began in May after three Muslims were allegedly detained for rape. Since then, the Rohingya have been expelled from Burma, often spending weeks at sea because no other country will take them in. It is unknown how many have been killed as a result of the violence, and thousands of Muslims have been detained and allegedly tortured. The refugee camps themselves have been described as "open air prisons". On March 20, 2013, a Buddhist mob rioted through the town of Meiktila, killing over 30 people and injuring some 70. They burned down mosques and houses belonging to Muslims, before forcing the residents out of town. This violence has displaced at least 12,000 people, according to Human Rights Watch. Some reports have suggested that since March 20th, 2013, over 40 people have been killed and 86 injured. Reports from the state news noted 163 reports of violence in 15 locations across the country.