( CNN ) -- Following a volatile week in Myanmar that has seen a surge in deadly sectarian violence , a group of Islamic organizations in the country announced that it had canceled all celebrations for Eid al-Adha , the four-day religious holiday observed by many Muslims . No reason was given in the announcement from the All Myanmar Islam Association , a collaboration of five major Islamic organizations there . But locals are seeing it as a precautionary measure after the violence in recent days . Clashes between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims have flared this week , killing dozens of people and burning thousands of homes to the ground in the western state of Rakhine . There has been tension between the two ethnic groups since May , when violence began after three Muslim men were arrested on suspicion of raping and killing a Buddhist woman . New satellite imagery obtained by Human Rights Watch shows what it said was extensive destruction of buildings in a predominantly Rohingya area of the coastal town of Kyauk Pyu . The swath of arson , the group said , stretched over 35 acres and included houseboats and floating barges . The government in Myanmar `` urgently needs to provide security for the Rohingya ... who are under vicious attack , '' said Phil Robertson , deputy Asia director of Human Rights Watch . `` Unless the authorities also start addressing the root causes of the violence , it is only likely to get worse . '' The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority who say they have been persecuted by the Myanmar military during its decades of authoritarian rule . Myanmar does n't recognize them as citizens . Q & A : What 's behind the sectarian violence in Myanmar ? Unrest between the Rohingya and majority Buddhists has tested President Thein Sein 's administration , which is trying to seek reconciliation with Myanmar 's different ethnic groups and move the country toward more democratic governance . The government has sent extra security into the troubled region and declared a state of emergency . The president 's office warned Thursday that `` manipulators '' behind the violence can expect to be found and prosecuted . Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi , speaking in Parliament on Friday , called for a greater security presence and urged authorities to investigate suspected human rights offenses . CNN 's Paul Armstrong contributed to this report .
A group of Islamic activists in Myanmar has organized Eid al - Adha celebrations . There have been violent clashes this week between Burmese and Rohingya Muslims . Dozens of people have been killed , and hundreds of homes have been burned down .