SEVEN people were killed in Myanmar’s troubled Rakhine state yesterday after police opened fire on Buddhist demonstrators, the Star has learned.

The violence occurred after more than 4,000 ethnic Rakhine Buddhists surrounded a government office in protest against the banning of an annual commemoration of the fall of the ancient Arakan Kingdom.

Mrauk U is the ancient capital of Arakan, and the site where the celebration of the conquest of Arakan — now Rakhine state — by Burmese forces takes place.

Regional government deputy director Tin Maung Swe said police initially used rubber bullets to disperse the crowds, but then used live ammunition after protesters started throwing stones. Seven were killed and others hospitalised.

The UN office in Myanmar said today it was concerned at the reports of violence and urged respect for the right to peaceful assembly and free expression.

The bloodshed came on the day the governments of Myanmar and Bangladesh finalised an agreement for the repatriation of some 650,000 Rohingya refugees who fled Rakhine state last year after a military crackdown.

The 30-member bilateral working group agreed a two-year target for completing the repatriations.

On Monday Myanmar’s Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement Minister Win Myat Aye said: “We are planning ahead to be able accept the returnees from next week.”

Myanmar classifies much of the Muslim Rohingya minority as Bangladeshi immigrants and denies them citizenship despite the fact they have lived in Rakhine for hundreds of years.

Tensions between the Rakhine Rohingya and Rakhine Buddhists have risen over the last few years with Buddhists joining the attacks on Rohingya villages.