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Yangon, June 14 (IANS) At least 29 people have been killed and 38 injured in riots in Myanmar's Rakhine state since June 8, the government said Thursday. Those killed comprise 13 Rakhinese and 16 Muslims and the injured are 16 Rakhinese and 22 Muslims, Xinhua quoted Rakhine State Security and Border Affairs Minister Colonel Htein Lin and Law Officer U Hla Thein as saying in a press conference. The press conference was the first ever given by the local government since a state of emergency was declared in the state and curfew imposed. Myanmar declared a state of emergency in Rakhine on the night of June 10 after curfew was announced one after another in areas of Maungtaw, Buthidaung, Sittway, Thandwe, Kyaukphyu and Yanbye. Over 2,500 residential houses across the state were destroyed in incidents of arson. Nine monasteries, seven mosques and one school were also among those burned down. The officials, however, claimed that the situation in riot-hit western Rakhine state had now turned calm. They said the people had started rebuilding their destroyed houses and some shops and banks in the downtown areas of Sittway reopened Thursday, though markets and schools remained closed. A total of 37 refugee camps have been opened in the state housing about 32,000 victims so far.
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