Non-stop brutal violences taking place against Rohingyans: Urgent intervention require in Arakan

Press release by NDPHR(exile),

There are on going communal violences growing day to day in inside Arakan/Rakhine state from the day of 3rd June- where 10 muslims massacred in Taungup township. The armed forces who are acting as security forces are sided with Rakhine people and explored more brutal violences against Rohingyans.

The government does not show any sign to stop on going crimes committing by Rakhine people therefore there is in need of international intervention, urgently. Today around 9am, the government ordered to leave all NGOs from northern Arakan state..

In brief up to afternoon of today 10 June, at least 200 Rohingyans from Maungdaw and about 30 Rohingyans from Sittwe were shot dead by security forces and other about 50 Rohingyans taken away are missing, Rohingya houses in 30 villages from Maungdaw and Rohingya houses in six villages from Akyab were burn down by Rakhine people. Rohingyans those came out to stop fire were shot dead by security forces. Beside, thousands of Rohingyans homeless and displaced and facing shortage of foods and those injuries are with lack of medic care.

In Akyab/Sittwe city, there are Duamraung and Bumay villages including the mosque near Sittwe airport are still burning. At early morning 4:00am of today, Harzamya village was burnt down, at least 13 Rohingyas were shot dead by Police and Paramilitary Forces, 4 injured. 

At around 09:15 am, Police Officer Than Htin killed innocent one Rohingya girl (Ramzaan- 12yrs ) Rohingya boy (Name –Abdu Rahaman-10yrs )  and her brother injured. Dead body was taken by Paramilitary Forces.

From yesterday evening, Rakhine people started gangly attacking of Rohingyan villagers and setting fire of their villages after security forces shot fire into the houses.

From last night to today early morning, at least dozen of Rohingyans were killed and 30 other were taken away. Arzimya, Nadikya villages were burnt down into ashes.

In Bumay village, under the guide of Rakhine people the police shot dead five Rohingyans during they went into the houses to those Rakhine set fire to go there in order to stop the fire there.

Rakhine people are still rounding with lethal knives and chanting with loud speakers- "terminate kala", "kala-kala.. kill-kill" ('Kala' is a racial slur word used to call Rohingya by Rakhine). Several other Rohingyan houses including houses from Kondan-ward were set on fire. It is also confirmed that Rakhine people those came to set fire were entering wearing muslim religious dresses. The local authorities plus police forces are encouraging the Rakhine to eliminate the Rohingyas and set fire at houses.

Again early morning today, a group of Rakhine tried to burn Nazi Village but it was stopped by Rohingyan villagers

On previous night of 4 June, A large group of Rakhine people marched to attack the ancient Foktoli mosque and village of Nazi. But it was broke away by security forces after Rohingya villagers came out to resist them.

In Maungdaw township from Friday afternoon, 8 June. Security armed forces involving Rakhine people are acting mainly in shooting and killing of at least 200 Rohingyans and taking away the bodies, burning down 30 Rohingyan villages including religious building, destroying shop lots and looting goods and cash.

NDPHR would like to raise with some escalated the following reports ;

From Friday at about 2:00pm, 8th of June, the riot police fired more than 40 rounds at about 500 Rohingya peaceful prayers who are going to demonstrate peacefully in Myoma Kayandan village of Maungdaw Town to give the respect to the massacred 10- Muslim in Taungup on June 3. That killed at least two Rohingyas, several other injuries and some houses are burning at the this moment.

Beside, the main central mosque and prayers were attacked by Rakhine people in the presence of riot police. That created furious tension and followed attacking each other.

Early morning of 9 June, military forces entered into Hunri-para and shot at Rohyingyas . At least 5 persons death and the bodies were lifted by truck.

Again afternoon, after military guarded Narittardil(ward-5), Rakhine brunt down the mosque.

On the following day the following religious buildings have been torched to burn down; 1)Morcos mosque of Sikdarpara, 2)Noapara mosque, 3)Sambanna and Sarkumbo mosques of Ali Thangyaw.

At midnight of 8 June, the Hlun Htein forces from Ngakura village accompanied by the extremists from the Rakhine village of San Oo Rwa (Hatipra) attacked the Rohingya villagers of the same village, killing one person injuring 3 others. The dead body was carried away by the killers.

In many villages, security forces corporately with Rakhine people fired to the Muslim houses. When the inmates left their homes the Rakhine set fire. The villages of Hatalia, Sommonia, Razarbil, Kayandan and San Oo are among those which were also attacked.

From 9 June, the Buddhist monks and Rakhine extremists escorted by security forces were announcing 'War on Kalas, (war on Rohingyas) along the street of Maungdaw. This message was spread like a wild fire all over Maungdaw and Buthidaung townships.

The villagers also confirmed that many security forces dressed in civil clothes but with arms are firing at the Rohingyas.

( Rohingya houses burning in a village in Maungdaw)

Despite government authority had mutually approached on following protest near Sulay of Yangon, similar approach was not delivered in Arakan state. In Arakn, the armed forces were sided with Rakhine people and explored more brutal violences against Rohingyans. They also set fire a few Rakhine houses in order to tarnish Rohingyan people' image.

It's learnt from the beginning that despite Rohingyan villagers both in Maungdaw and Sittwe are confined within their villages under Curfew order, security forces are shooting at Rohingya villagers with cool blood and Rakhine people are still allowed to attack Rohingyans and to fire houses, to loot goods and cash in the present of security forces.

The due course of pending action against the mass killing of 10 Muslims in Taungup, is also a part of continuing tension between Rakhine and Rohingya communities. While authority has not yet arrested those terror Rakhine people.

All of such violence are direct result from the subject of Arakanese Rohingya Muslims are not entitled to be citizenship under new citizenship law-1982 based on the changes of Rakhine state from Arakan state in 1974. So, Rohingya people have to face oppressions in common and brutal attacks periodically and occasionally.

The mass killing of 10 Muslims by 300 Rakhine people in Taungkup on the 3rd of June, was one of the shock wave of their intentional desires of Rakhine people. For Rakhine people, it was a part of fulfilling to the chapter of muslim-free-zones defined from 1983 which consists Gwa, Taungup, Tandwe and Ponnagyuan townships. There were several hundreds of Rohingyans were killed in similar way in these regions and such crime will be carried on until the government implement such draconian act.