Thousands attend Mandalay riot victim's funeral
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Thousands of Mandalay residents mourned at the funeral of July 2 riot victim Tun Tun, turning the ceremony to rally for community solidarity.
The victim’s body was carried in a funeral procession to Ayeyeiknyein (Kyarnikan) Cemetery from the foot of Yankin Mountain, Patheingyi township. The procession circled around the township moat from west to south.
“Many vehicles formed a procession convoy,” said a resident from 26th Street, where the procession passed. “Some mourners sang the national anthem and shouted out that Tun Tun was brutally killed. The gory picture depicting Tun Tun lying in a pool of blood was displayed on the side of the coffin-bearing vehicle.”
Some from the procession threw stones, damaging a car and a motorbike parked along the way.
When the procession reached the foot of Mt Mandalay, mourners wielded sticks and knives, sang the national anthem and shouted hate slogans.
Onlookers cheered the procession and offered people water and soft drinks.
The mourners carried out a noisy demonstration before turning unruly and resorted to destroying a Muslim cemetery while conducting the ceremony for the victim killed in the Mandalay riot.
“People wielding sticks and knives in the funeral convoy combined with the people who had already arrived at the cemetery,” said a person who took part in the funeral. “Then, they destroyed the Muslim cemetery. They prevented photographers from taking any pictures.”
“Although Section 144 was announced, the mob favoured the instigators of the violence,” a Mandalay resident said. “Additionally, people’s anger was stirred up. Then, it became uncontrolable and like an anarchy.”
Later fire-engines arrived at the destroyed cemetery.
Markets and shopping malls in Mandalay subsequently downed their shutters.
Since the Saturday morning opening hour, shops belonging non-Buddhists were closed.
After the funeral of Tun Tun, fear spread among the locals and Diamond Plaza shut its doors.
“Since Saturday morning, non-Buddhists’ shops have been closed,” said the owner of Ngwe Kathit garment shop in Yadanarpon market. “When shop owners tried to open, rumours were spread through mobile phones saying a fire had broken out or riots had happened here or there. So all the shops closed.”
