缅甸佛教徒与穆斯林再起冲突至少20人丧生

A third day of deadly Buddhist-Muslim violence has broken out in central Burma, as a leading rights group warned of spreading ethnic tension.

Witnesses reported charred bodies lying in the streets Friday, and say flames continue to pour from several buildings, including mosques, in the town of Meikhtila.

Local lawmakers say at least 20 people have been killed in the clashes, which began Wednesday following an argument between a customer and the Muslim owner of a gold shop.

Authorities have imposed a nighttime curfew and many residents say they are afraid to leave their homes, leaving the city largely deserted except for angry mobs roaming the streets.

The United States and United Nations have called for an end to the violence, Burma\'s worst sectarian unrest since last year\'s clashes between Buddhists and ethnic Rohingya Muslims in western Rakhine state.

目击者说，星期五街道上有烧焦的尸体，并说几个建筑仍在冒出火苗，包括密铁拉镇的几座清真寺。

当地立法官员说，至少20人在冲突中被打死。星期三，一家金店的一名顾客与穆斯林店主发生争执，随后引发了冲突。

有关当局已经实行了宵禁。很多居民说，他们不敢离家外出，密铁拉镇上基本没有行人，街头上只有愤怒的暴民在游荡。

美国和联合国敦促停止这场暴力。自去年缅甸西部若开邦的佛教徒和罗兴亚族穆斯林爆发冲突后，这是缅甸最严重的教派骚乱。