Myanmar president, in first remarks on religious riots, says force could be used to end unrest

YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar President Thein Sein has said his government will use force if necessary to quell deadly religious rioting affecting several towns since last week.

In his first public comments on the violence, Thein Sein warned in a televised speech Thursday that he would make all legal efforts to stop political opportunists and religious extremists trying to sow hatred between faiths.

The recent religious unrest began March 20 with rioting by Buddhists targeting minority Muslims in the central city of Meikhtila that left at least 40 people dead and drove about 12,000 from their homes. The unrest spread this week to several towns about 160 kilometres (100 miles) north of the country’s biggest city, Yangon.