Myanmar is investigating the death in custody of a 60-year-old Rohingya Muslim, the office of President Htin Kyaw said, as a security sweep in the country's northwest is increasingly beset by allegations of human rights abuses.
Security forces moved into northern Rakhine State after coordinated attacks on three border guard posts on Oct. 9 killed nine police officers.
The sudden escalation of violence in Rakhine state poses a serious challenge to the six-month-old government led by Aung San Suu Kyi, who was swept to power in an election last year but has faced criticism abroad for failing to tackle rights abuses against the Rohingya and other Muslims.
The government has said some 400 Rohingya militants with links to Islamists overseas were behind this month's attacks and later clashes in which five soldiers were killed. A group calling itself Al-Yakin Mujahidin claimed responsibility for the attacks in videos posted online. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
October 28, 2016
CALL FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION TO STOP THE MAUNGDAW CARNAGE
The Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organization (MAPIM), several and the network of Asean NGOs as listed below condemn the current attrocities in the Maungdaw district of Rakhine, Myanmar.
The Myanmar authorities has without thorough investigation, targeted Rohingya community in Rakhine, for the unknown assailants on the attack on the border posts.
We are shocked by reports of rampant killings, rape, abductions, forced evictions, beatings, the burning of homes and communities and the general terrorising of the local Rohingya population which has.
Unless urgent action is taken to stop these atrocities, there will be another wave of Rohingya exodus to neighbouring countries and the increase of people who lost their houses and therefore forced to find refuge in squalid IDP camps. (Courtesy of mapim.org)
The Myanmar authorities has without thorough investigation, targeted Rohingya community in Rakhine, for the unknown assailants on the attack on the border posts.
We are shocked by reports of rampant killings, rape, abductions, forced evictions, beatings, the burning of homes and communities and the general terrorising of the local Rohingya population which has.
Unless urgent action is taken to stop these atrocities, there will be another wave of Rohingya exodus to neighbouring countries and the increase of people who lost their houses and therefore forced to find refuge in squalid IDP camps. (Courtesy of mapim.org)
Rohingya women say Myanmar soldiers raped them amid crackdown on militants
Rohingya Muslims say Myanmar soldiers raped or sexually assaulted dozens of women in a remote village in the northwest of the country during the biggest upsurge in violence against the persecuted minority in four years.
Eight Rohingya women, all from U Shey Kya village in Rakhine State, described in detail how soldiers last week raided their homes, looted property and raped them at gun point.
Reuters interviewed three of the women in person and five by telephone, and spoke to human rights groups and community leaders. Not all the claims could be independently verified, including the total number of women assaulted.
Soldiers have poured into the Maungdaw area since Oct. 9, after an insurgent group of Rohingyas that the government believes has links to Islamists overseas launched coordinated attacks on several border guard posts. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
Eight Rohingya women, all from U Shey Kya village in Rakhine State, described in detail how soldiers last week raided their homes, looted property and raped them at gun point.
Reuters interviewed three of the women in person and five by telephone, and spoke to human rights groups and community leaders. Not all the claims could be independently verified, including the total number of women assaulted.
Soldiers have poured into the Maungdaw area since Oct. 9, after an insurgent group of Rohingyas that the government believes has links to Islamists overseas launched coordinated attacks on several border guard posts. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
Blanket denials of Rakhine abuses threaten Myanmar’s moves to democracy
Hopes for democracy in Myanmar are this week at their most vulnerable point since the National League for Democracy swept to electoral victory last year, as the military continues to ignore Daw Aung San Suu Kyi’s calls for it to abide by the rule of law in northern Rakhine State and allegations of rights violations grow.
In an interview that bodes very badly for people in Rakhine and across the country, U Zaw Htay of the President’s Office flatly denied allegations of arbitrary arrests and torture in the state’s north as troops there continue to hunt for those behind three deadly assaults on border police bases on October 9.
On October 25, meanwhile, a video posted on YouTube by a group calling itself Faith Movement claimed that Rohingya rights activists were behind the attacks, the first time any organisation has taken responsibility for them since they occurred. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
In an interview that bodes very badly for people in Rakhine and across the country, U Zaw Htay of the President’s Office flatly denied allegations of arbitrary arrests and torture in the state’s north as troops there continue to hunt for those behind three deadly assaults on border police bases on October 9.
On October 25, meanwhile, a video posted on YouTube by a group calling itself Faith Movement claimed that Rohingya rights activists were behind the attacks, the first time any organisation has taken responsibility for them since they occurred. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Calls Grow for Access to Western Myanmar in Face of Military Lockdown
In the aftermath of violence this month in western Myanmar that has left scores of people dead, the authorities are facing mounting pressure to lift a weekslong military lockdown that advocacy groups say has trapped Muslims in their communities and largely prevented aid workers from helping them.
People in the northern part of Rakhine State have watched the Myanmar Army and the border police loot shops, rape women, burn homes and Qurans, and shoot unarmed people in the days and weeks since an attack this month on a guard post near the Bangladeshi border killed nine police officers, rights activists say. The United Nations, in a statement on Monday, urged the government to address “growing reports of human rights violations” in the area.
The violence this month has largely affected members of the Rohingya ethnic group, a stateless Muslim minority with roughly one million members in Rakhine State. The Rohingya have been unable to obtain Myanmar citizenship, even though many of their families have lived in the country for generations. (Courtesy of nytimes.com)
People in the northern part of Rakhine State have watched the Myanmar Army and the border police loot shops, rape women, burn homes and Qurans, and shoot unarmed people in the days and weeks since an attack this month on a guard post near the Bangladeshi border killed nine police officers, rights activists say. The United Nations, in a statement on Monday, urged the government to address “growing reports of human rights violations” in the area.
The violence this month has largely affected members of the Rohingya ethnic group, a stateless Muslim minority with roughly one million members in Rakhine State. The Rohingya have been unable to obtain Myanmar citizenship, even though many of their families have lived in the country for generations. (Courtesy of nytimes.com)
October 27, 2016
Dozens of rapes reported in northern Rakhine State
Dozens of Muslim women have allegedly been raped by state security forces in northern Rakhine State during counter-insurgency operations there, according to rights groups citing “credible” sources. Tight military controls in the region, including shutting out international humanitarian organisations, means independent verification has not been possible.
Around 30 women are reported to have been raped by security forces in a single village on October 19, according to Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project, a Rohingya rights organisation.
Ms Lewa said she had also received additional reports of five girls aged between 16 and 18 being raped in another village on October 25 and two women at another location on October 20.
On October 25, the Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN) released a statement saying it was “extremely concerned” over at least 10 alleged rape cases that had been documented by civilians in Maungdaw township since the military operation had begun there, including one woman who was three months pregnant and later suffered a miscarriage. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
Around 30 women are reported to have been raped by security forces in a single village on October 19, according to Chris Lewa, director of the Arakan Project, a Rohingya rights organisation.
Ms Lewa said she had also received additional reports of five girls aged between 16 and 18 being raped in another village on October 25 and two women at another location on October 20.
On October 25, the Burma Human Rights Network (BHRN) released a statement saying it was “extremely concerned” over at least 10 alleged rape cases that had been documented by civilians in Maungdaw township since the military operation had begun there, including one woman who was three months pregnant and later suffered a miscarriage. (Courtesy of mmtimes.com)
11 Rohingya Feared Dead in Burmese Navy Shooting Rampage
At least 11 innocent people were killed in a Burmese Navy shooting rampage on two boats carrying Rohingya people on board in the Naff River around 1 AM today, a reliable source said.
It has been reported that the victims were fleeing from the continuous military assaults and extrajudicial killing of the innocent civilians in Maungdaw to Bangladesh. Most of the victims of the incident are from ‘Ye Twin Chaung (Raimma Bil) and Paung Zaa (Ashikka Fara)’ villages.
“During the shooting spree by the Navy, some people were hit by bullets and died. While some other people died drowning in the Naff River as they jumped off the boats. (Courtesy of rvisiontv.com)
It has been reported that the victims were fleeing from the continuous military assaults and extrajudicial killing of the innocent civilians in Maungdaw to Bangladesh. Most of the victims of the incident are from ‘Ye Twin Chaung (Raimma Bil) and Paung Zaa (Ashikka Fara)’ villages.
“During the shooting spree by the Navy, some people were hit by bullets and died. While some other people died drowning in the Naff River as they jumped off the boats. (Courtesy of rvisiontv.com)
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