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)
October 28, 2016
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)
October 25, 2016
Myanmar army forces hundreds of Rohingya villagers from homes - witnesses
Hundreds of Myanmar's Rohingya villagers are facing a second night hiding in rice fields without shelter, after the army on Sunday forcibly removed them from a village in a crackdown following attacks on border security forces.
Four Rohingya sources contacted by Reuters by telephone, said border guard officers went to Kyee Kan Pyin village on Sunday and ordered about 2,000 villagers to abandon it, giving them just enough time to collect basic household items.
The move marks an escalation in violence which has destabilized Myanmar's most volatile state located in the remote northwest. In Rakhine, relations between the Rohingya and majority Buddhists have hit their lowest point since hundreds of people were killed and thousands displaced in ethnic and religious violence in 2012. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
Four Rohingya sources contacted by Reuters by telephone, said border guard officers went to Kyee Kan Pyin village on Sunday and ordered about 2,000 villagers to abandon it, giving them just enough time to collect basic household items.
The move marks an escalation in violence which has destabilized Myanmar's most volatile state located in the remote northwest. In Rakhine, relations between the Rohingya and majority Buddhists have hit their lowest point since hundreds of people were killed and thousands displaced in ethnic and religious violence in 2012. (Courtesy of reuters.com)
October 23, 2016
Border Guard Police Uproot Entire Rohingya Hamlet in Maungdaw
The Burmese Border Guard Police (BGP) uprooted an entire Rohingya hamlet at KyiKanPyin (Hawar Bil) village in Maungdaw Township today.
The hamlet known as ‘the Middle Hamlet’ comprises around 300 households with over 2,000 people and is the biggest hamlet in KyiKanPyin village. The locals in the hamlet were ordered by the BGP yesterday to leave their homes by today, which is now leading to a mass exodus to different neighbouring villages.
“An officer named Colonel Thura Sann Lwin has been recently appointed as new commander for the BGP Headquarter in KyiKanPyin. He yesterday ordered us through our village administrator to leave our homes by today. As so, the BGP forces started raiding our hamlet and driving us out from our homes around 11 AM today,” said a local who was also driven out of his home.
It has been learnt that the local residents are not even allowed to come back to their homes even to take and pack up their properties and belongings forgotten and left while they were being hastily driven out once after they had left their homes. (Courtesy of rvisiontv.com)
The hamlet known as ‘the Middle Hamlet’ comprises around 300 households with over 2,000 people and is the biggest hamlet in KyiKanPyin village. The locals in the hamlet were ordered by the BGP yesterday to leave their homes by today, which is now leading to a mass exodus to different neighbouring villages.
“An officer named Colonel Thura Sann Lwin has been recently appointed as new commander for the BGP Headquarter in KyiKanPyin. He yesterday ordered us through our village administrator to leave our homes by today. As so, the BGP forces started raiding our hamlet and driving us out from our homes around 11 AM today,” said a local who was also driven out of his home.
It has been learnt that the local residents are not even allowed to come back to their homes even to take and pack up their properties and belongings forgotten and left while they were being hastily driven out once after they had left their homes. (Courtesy of rvisiontv.com)
October 22, 2016
Burmese Military Rape 8 Rohingya Women in Maungdaw
The Burmese military brutally raped 8 Rohingya women at ‘Oo Kye Kyar (Bura Shiddafara) village in northern Maungdaw during a raid on Wednesday (October 19) morning, a local source confirms.
Besides, the military looted money, gold and other ornaments from many women taking advantage of the situation that the (Rohingya) men went into hiding to escape arbitrary arrests, tortures and killings (by the military).
“They conducted raid on each and every house. During the raids, they brutally raped 8 Rohingya women. Some rape victims are still in miserable conditions as they can’t get medical treatment.
“On the other hand, in some houses, the military forced women to take off their ornaments and give away to them. In some other houses, they just brutally pulled away earrings from the ears of the women and chains from their necks,” said a local resident of the village. (Courtesy of rvisiontv.com)
Besides, the military looted money, gold and other ornaments from many women taking advantage of the situation that the (Rohingya) men went into hiding to escape arbitrary arrests, tortures and killings (by the military).
“They conducted raid on each and every house. During the raids, they brutally raped 8 Rohingya women. Some rape victims are still in miserable conditions as they can’t get medical treatment.
“On the other hand, in some houses, the military forced women to take off their ornaments and give away to them. In some other houses, they just brutally pulled away earrings from the ears of the women and chains from their necks,” said a local resident of the village. (Courtesy of rvisiontv.com)
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