Prison riot in northern Myanmar leaves four dead

YANGON: Four prisoners were killed during a riot at a northern Myanmar jail, officials said on Thursday, coming on the heels of an amnesty which saw more than 6,000 inmates released -- including high-profile Reuters reporters Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo.The unrest at Sagaing region’s Shwe Bo prison began on Wednesday evening, said chief minister Myint Naing. "They were demanding for equal rights. They became anarchic," he said, adding that everything was now "under control".Myint did not say how the prisoners died. Military spokesman Zaw Min Tun said border affairs officials were called in to "control" the situation. "We heard there was some shooting," he said, adding that there were also reports of unrest in jails in Karen and Kachin states.The violence in Shwe Bo comes days after more than 6,000 people were freed in the latest round of presidential pardons -- part of an annual prisoner amnesty granted by Myanmar President Win Myint. According to local newspaper Eleven Media, prison department director Min Tun Soe said the riots were triggered over the inmate anger at not being included in the amnesty.

from The News International - World http://bit.ly/2DUuRcb