Current Situation on Arakan (Aug 23,2012 ) | M.S. Anwar

Maung Daw, Arakan Stateယ24th August  2012

“Around 1AM on 23rd August 2012, military and security forces along with many Rakhine hooligans torched Rohingyas’ shops in Foira Baazaar Village (Kamok Seik Rua) of northern Maung Daw. Consequently, around 40 Rohingyas’ shops were burned. It is believed that each of the shops was worth around 1 billion Kyats. Therefore, all of the shops were worth around Kyats 40 billion. This place was quiet and unaffected in last June and July because the villagers tried to avoid any kind of violence as much as possible. But Rakhine extremists did not want to see the stable situation of the village and therefore did the destructions of Rohingyas’ properties” said a Rohingya youth from Maung Daw. 

“Besides, on 21st August 2012 around 11pm, in Tharay Kunbaung village tract, some Rakhine extremists in collaboration with security forces, military and police destroyed an ancient mosque called Khala Masjid. When Rohingyas tried to prevent the destructions, military fired at them. Fortunately, no one died due to Military’s firing. If Rohingyas are not religiously targeted, then why are they destroying Mosques?” said a victimized Rohingya from the village. He further exclaimed that in the future, Rakhines might not be able to do more atrocitie because there may be the presence of humanitarian workers, non-Rakhine people and investigations. That may be the reasons why Rakhines recently speeded up their atrocities against Rohingyas and destroying and looting their properties within the remaining time. 

According to local Rohingyas in Maung Daw, since last few days, Rakhines have been rushing to set up temporary camps (tents) in rural areas of Maung Daw. The few affected Rakhines during the riot are kept safe and sound in the monasteries in the area. But now even unaffected Rakhines and rich ones are planning to move to the camps for one to two days during the visit of inquiry commission set up by the President U Thein Sein. Though one cannot expect impartial investigations when the culprits who started this ugly racism and committed all the crimes themselves against Rohingyas have taken charge of the investigations, yet, reportedly, the members of Rakhine National Development Party (RNDP) raised some objections against involvement of some people in the Inquiry Commission Team. Previously, the inquiry was supposed to be done within a month. Now it is delayed and will be done in three months. They are deliberately delaying the inquiry so that they can cover up all the ongoing crimes against Rohingyas and further delay the forthcoming general assembly in United Nation regarding Rohingyas’ case. 

Elsewhere, according to an internal source, Rakhine terrorists have been bringing the weapons such as guns and hand bombs etc into Arakan. They are keeping it in the places such as Rakhine monasteries and other secret places all over Arakan. They might have secret plans and want to make full use of the situation to achieve their long awaited dream of having independent Arakan.