A gang of Rakhine (Magh) Buddhist extremists beat up the Rohingya farmers working in their lands in Mrauk U Township last Saturday, occupying their farmlands afterwards, reliable sources report. 

The incident of the gross injustice happened against the local Rohingya farmers of ‘Bu Talong’ village tract in Mrauk U Township. However, the local Burmese authorities came forward to help the local Rohingya victims.

“Some farmers were working in their paddy fields at ‘Shwe Lan’ hamlet of ‘Bu Talong’ village tract last Friday and Saturday. Meanwhile, many Rakhine Magh extremists appeared suddenly and beat them up in gang. They accused the local Rohingyas of not being citizens and being illegal Bengalis. And so they occupied their (Rohingyas’) lands by force” said an eyewitness on the condition of anonymity.

Some of the victims beaten up and whose lands forcibly occupied are:

• Abdu Munaf – 6 Acres of his Land Occupied by Rakhine extremists
• Sirazul Hoque – 1 Acre of his Land Occupied by Rakhine extremists
• Abdul Hakim – 1 Acre of his Land Occupied by Rakhine extremists
• Naeem – 2 Acres of his Land Occupied by Rakhine extremists

The Rohingya people in Mrauk-U (Fatthar Killa) Township are a very small minority surrounded by dominantly hostile Rakhine extremists. They have lost most of their access to livelihoods since the violence began in June 2012. Now, the Rakhine extremists are crippling the remaining aspects of the means of their livelihoods.