Dozens of people have been killed and thousands of homes burned to the ground in Myanmar 's volatile Rakhine state in recent days , amid an upsurge in violence between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims that prompted the government to declare a state of emergency . CNN looks at the background to the ongoing communal violence in the Southeast Asian country . What 's behind the unrest ? Overnight curfews in several towns and villages across the region have been in place since May , when the arrest of three Muslim men suspected of raping and killing a Buddhist woman sparked deadly clashes between the Rohingya and Rakhine Buddhists . Two of the men have since been sentenced to death , while the third hanged himself while in detention , the government-run newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported on its website . The following month , 10 Muslims were killed when several hundred people attacked a bus in the state 's Taungup district , reportedly believing some of the passengers were involved in the murder . The violence then spread across the northern part of the state , resulting in the destruction of thousands of homes and the deaths of almost 100 people , according to the government . A state of emergency in Rakhine was declared , with the military deployed to help restore order . The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs ( OCHA ) in Myanmar estimates that around 75,000 Rohingya have been displaced by the unrest . The simmering tensions between the two ethnic groups erupted again this week in several towns across the state , despite the curfew , with reports that at least 50 people had died and hundreds of homes burned to the ground , according to state officials . Opinion : Aung San Suu Kyi and the power of unity . Who are the Rohingya ? The Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority living in Rakhine -- thought to number between 800,000 and one million -- who claim they were persecuted by Myanmar 's military during its decades of authoritarian rule . Myanmar does not recognize them as citizens or one of the 135 recognized ethnic groups living in the country . Much of this is rooted in their heritage in East Bengal , now called Bangladesh . Though many Rohingya have only known life in Myanmar , they are viewed by Rakhine 's estimated three million Buddhists as intruders from across the border . According to Human Rights Watch , the country 's laws discriminate against the Rohingya , infringing on their rights to freedom of movement , education , and employment . They are denied land and property rights and ownership . The land on which they live can be taken away at any given time . HRW has also accused security forces of opening fire on the Rohingya population during the recent wave of violence -- an accusation denied by the government . What are the authorities doing ? In August , Myanmar 's president , Thein Sein , announced that an internal commission , including representatives from different political parties and religious organizations , had been formed to investigate the recent sectarian violence -- a move welcomed by United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon . `` This commission is comprised of a representative cross-section of national figures in the country , '' Ban said in a statement . `` It could make important contributions to restoring peace and harmony in the state and in creating a conducive environment for a more inclusive way forward to tackle the underlying causes of the violence , including the condition of the Muslim communities in Rakhine . '' President Sein discussed the situation with Ban during the U.N. General Assembly in New York in September , pledging to `` address the root causes of the tensions , '' according to a U.N. spokesman . The move followed Sein 's warning in June that the ongoing ethnic strife could harm Myanmar 's development and stability as it continues its rehabilitation as a fledgling democracy . What is the world saying ? Tomas Quintana , the U.N. 's human rights rapporteur for Myanmar , in August called for an independent investigation into allegations that authorities are using excessive force and committing other human rights violations while trying to restore order in Rakhine state . Quintana said such an investigation was needed to guarantee accountability . `` Reconciliation will not be possible without this , and exaggerations and distortions will fill the vacuum to further fuel distrust and tensions between communities , '' he said . Thousands of Rohingya have attempted to flee the unrest , with neighboring Bangladesh the main destination . But many have been turned away by the authorities . Bangladesh has reinforced its border , amassing troops and security officials along the River Naf , which provides a natural boundary between the two countries , where rickety fishing boats filled with refugees attempt to cross over . In June , Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dipu Moni said her country was not willing to give shelter to anymore refugees , despite international calls to open its borders . `` We 're already burdened with thousands of Rohingya refugees staying in Bangladesh and we do n't want anymore , '' she said . Human Rights Watch says tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees are currently staying in makeshift camps in Bangladesh , with many living in conditions that seasoned aid workers have described as `` the worst they have ever seen . '' According to the rights group , the inhabitants face overcrowding , shortages of food leading to widespread malnourishment among the children , a lack of clean water and sanitation resulting in disease , and restrictions on movement coupled with extortion and human rights abuses .
Rohingya are a stateless Muslim minority living in Myanmar 's Rakhine state . They have clashed frequently with the western state 's Buddhist population . Dozens killed and thousands of homes burned down in recent violence . Myanmar 's president pledged to address the issue during recent U.N. visit .