"The inter-communal violence began on 20 March with an argument in a gold shop in the Eastern Market of Meikhtila, Mandalay Region, which escalated quickly with crowds setting fire to business properties, religious buildings and houses. The Government estimates that over 12,000 people have been displaced by the violence, including some 9,710 now in six temporary locations (schools, football stadium) and another 2,800 in local monasteries.These figures, according to the Deputy Minister MoSWRR, who is in charge of the response, are still provisional. Reports indicate that another unspecified number of people may have fled the area. Media reports indicate several casualties and fatalities but numbers are still unclear and vary depending on the source. The violence continued throughout the night and into the 21 st of March, subsequently spreading to other areas of the town and in the neighbouring town of Tharzi on 22 March. In Meikhtila, although the atmosphere remains tense, there are no reports of violence since 22 March. However , other minor incidents occurred in Tharzi, Yamethin and Tatkon townships on 23 March. The Meikhtila market remains closed although a number of shops in the area reopened on the weekend. 2 www.unocha.org The mission of the United Nations Office for the Co ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) is to mob ilize and coordinate effective and principled humanitarian action in partnership with national and international actors. Celebrating 20 years of coordinated humanitarian ac tion The government deployed additional troops to contro l the situation and declared a curfew from 18:00 to 6:00 on 20 March and subsequently the State of Emergency in Meikhtila and 3 neighboring townships: Tharzi, Wandwin and Ma Hlaing on 22 March. High-level Gove rnment and UN delegations visited the area and appealed for calm. The Inter-faith Friendship Organ ization issued a statement calling for restoration of peace and stability on 23 March. On the same day, the Gov ernment has requested international partners to mobilize humanitarian assistance..."