Muslim Rohingyas under "vicious" attack in Myanmar: rights group

(Reuters) - A human rights group expressed concern for the safety of thousands of Muslims on Saturday after revealing satellite images of a once-thriving coastal community reduced to ashes during a week of violence in western Myanmar.

The images released by the New York-based Human Rights Watch show "near total destruction" of a predominantly Rohingya Muslim part of Kyaukpyu, one of several areas in Rakhine state where battles between Rohingyas and ethnic Rakhine Buddhists threaten to derail the former Burma's fragile democratic transition.

More than 811 buildings and houseboats were razed in Kyaukpyu on October 24, forcing many Rohingya to flee north by sea toward the state capital Sittwe, said Human Rights Watch.

"Burma's government urgently needs to provide security for the Rohingya in Arakan (Rakhine) State, who are under vicious attack," said Phil Robertson, the group's deputy Asia director. (Link to Human Rights Watch images: here related_material /2012_Burma _Satimage.pdf)

There were widespread unconfirmed reports of boatloads of Rohingyas trying to cross the sea border to neighboring Bangladesh, which has denied them refugee status since 1992.

Dozens of boats full of Rohingyas with no food or water had fled Kyaukpyu, an industrial zone important to China, and other recent hotspots were seeking access on Friday to overcrowded refugee camps around the state capital Sittwe, according to four Rohingya refugee sources.

Some boats were blocked by security forces from reaching the shore and few Rohingyas managed to reach the camps, the sources said by telephone.

Wan-lark foundation, an organization that has been assisting Rakhine Buddhist refugees, said no clashes in the state had been reported to them since Friday night, but dead bodies of Rakhines had been found.

"Around 6pm last night in Kyawtyaw, the bodies of 16 Rakhines were found in the sea. They had died during the attacks on Thursday. We're looking for more bodies," representative Tun Mein Thein said on Saturday.

The chaos suggests the reformist government is struggling to contain historic ethnic and religious tensions suppressed during nearly a half century of military rule that ended last year.

A Rakhine government spokesman put the death toll at 112 as of Friday. But within hours state media revised it to 67 killed from October 21 to 25, with 95 wounded and nearly 3,000 houses destroyed.

DEATH TOLL "UNDERESTIMATED"

The death toll could be far higher, said Human Rights Watch, citing "allegations from witnesses fleeing scenes of carnage and the government's well-documented history of underestimating figures that might lead to criticism of the state."

The clashes come just five months after communal unrest killed more than 80 people and displaced at least 75,000 in the same region.

A boat carrying 120 Muslims from Kyaukpyu was intercepted by Rakhines, who killed the men and raped the women, the advocacy group Burmese Rohingya Organisation UK said in a statement. This claim could not be verified.

"Ethnic cleansing is happening under the noses of the international community and they are doing nothing," said Tun Khin, the group's president. "We have confirmed reports that hundreds of people have been killed and the government must be aware of that."

Kyaukpyu is crucial to China's most strategic investment in Myanmar: twin pipelines that will carry oil and natural gas through the town on the Bay of Bengal to China's energy-hungry western provinces.

The United Nations has warned that Myanmar's fledgling democracy could be "irreparably damaged" by the violence.

Rohingyas are officially stateless. Buddhist-majority Myanmar's government regards the estimated 800,000 Rohingyas in the country as illegal immigrants from Bangladesh, and not as one of the country's 135 official ethnic groups, and denies them citizenship.

But many of those expelled from Kyaukpyu are not Rohingya but Muslims from the officially recognized Kaman minority, said Chris Lewa, director of the Rohingya advocacy group, Arakan Project. "It's not just anti-Rohingya violence anymore, it's anti-Muslim," she said.

It was unclear what set off the latest arson and killing that started on Sunday. In June, tension flared after the rape and murder of a Buddhist woman that was blamed on Muslims, but there was no obvious spark this time.

Rights groups such as Amnesty International have called on Myanmar to amend or repeal a 1982 citizenship law to end the Rohingyas' stateless condition.

(Reporting by Reuters staff reporters; Writing by Andrew R.C. Marshall; Editing by Jonathan Thatcher)

360 dead and destroy 3500 homes in renewed clashes in Arakan State

Akyab, Arakan State: More than 360 people have been killed and more than 3500 homes destroyed in the renewed clashed – Rohingyas and Rakhines- in Arakan State on October 21, according to a lawyer from Akyab.
“We are receiving information day by day increasing death numbers and burning homes from the ground, but, the Arakan State government saying only 56 people dead and only 2000 homes burned down.”
“More than 200 Rohingya dead bodies were mass buried in a long burrow in Maruk –U as the community is not able to make separately to bury. The Rakhines tried to kill them at time with the help of security force.”
Today, evening at about 15:00pm, Rakhines set on fire the Taungbwe (Mura Fara) village of Kyauktaw where 80 Rohingyas’ homes burned down and 2 Rohingya killed, according to sources from Kyauktaw.
“The Military on security in the town seized 12 arms from Rakhine terrorists who attacked the Rohingya village, but, no action against the Rakhine.”
The sources also confirmed that early morning, additional 8 boats load of thousands of Rakhine people came from other towns through Kaladan River were chased by military before docking to the shore. The military seized arms, knives, arrows and fuels from 4 boats but freed the people.
“These Rakhine people have been sheltered at the Buddhist monastery of Taung Pauk village.”
More than 50 boats with full load of Rohingyas from Kyaukpru and Minbya had left their homes villages to save their lives yesterday. The boats conditions are not known, but unconfirmed information stated that some boats held by Burma Navy of Akyab.
Bangladesh mobilized extra patrols along its river border with Burma today after getting information about  tens of boats carrying Rohingya Muslim refugees fleeing the clashes from Arakan State – Minbya and Kyaukpru.
“We’ve stepped up watchfulness to make sure they can’t enter our territory,” Border Guard Bangladesh commander Colonel Zahid Hasan.
Security forces opened fire in a Rohingya living area in Rathedaung- a town situated northwest of Akyab- and about 10 houses were burned, according to locals, published by Reuter on October 25, 2012.
The United Nations has called for calm in response to the new violence today.
“The U.N. is gravely concerned about reports of a resurgence of inter-communal conflict in several areas in Rakhine State – which has resulted in deaths and has forced thousands of people, including women and children, to flee their homes,” Ashok Nigam, U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Burma, said in a statement.
“UN was appealing for immediate and unconditional access to all communities in accordance with humanitarian principles.”
The statement said large numbers of people fleeing the new violence were headed for already overcrowded refugee camps currently housing about 75,000 people previously made homeless.
“Short term humanitarian support and action towards long term solutions are urgently required to address the root causes of the conflict,” said the statement.
The unrest is some of the worst reported in the region since June.
Tensions still simmer in part as the government has failed to find any long-term solution to the crisis other than segregating the two communities in some areas

Kyaukpyu’s Muslim Quarter Razed to the Ground

Some 800 homes belonging to Rohingya Muslims were burnt down in Pauktaw on Thursday, Oct. 25, 2012 (PHOTO: Thi Ha / Facebook) 

Several hundred Rohingya people have fled their burning homes in Kyaukpyu Township and taken to the sea after deadly clashes on Tuesday night.

A local source told The Irrawaddy that the entire Muslim quarter—more than 300 houses belonging to the Rohingya community—was burned to the ground by Arakanese Buddhist [Rakhine] residents who were angry at reports that three local Rakhine men had been killed. An unknown number of Rohingyas were killed in Tuesday night’s violence. Eleven persons were reportedly admitted to hospital after rival groups clashed with machetes and other weapons.

The following day, 80 boats full of fleeing Rohingyas were spotted heading to open water. The source said that 54 boats departed from Kyaukpyu at 12:30 in the afternoon and another 26 boats left around 5 pm.

“There is no one left in the Muslim quarter,” he said. “They have all fled and were heading to Sittwe.”

Sittwe is the capital of Arakan State. The Rohingya boatpeople are thought to be seeking the shelter of a neighborhood in the city where security is overseen by state authorities.

A resident from Kyaukpyu Township told The Irrawaddy on Thursday morning that tensions were high in the town and that the army had been deployed.

Burma’s state-run media reported on Thursday that only 69 houses were burned down and 20 persons were wounded on Tuesday night, while on Wednesday morning one person was killed, eight were wounded and some 700 houses were torched.

The Burmese service of BBC radio reported on Wednesday that 20 Rohingyas and six Rakhine men had been killed in riots in Myebon Township. It said that some 200 Rohingya people from Myebon had been made homeless and had fled in fear to the mountainous jungle nearby.

The resurgence in sectarian violence follows incidents earlier this week in Minbyar Township where one Rakhine man and two Rohingya women were killed. The violence then spread to Mrauk-U Township.

Burma’s state-run media reported on Wednesday that just two people were killed—one Buddhist, one Muslim—in Minbyar and Mrauk-U townships while 1,039 local houses were destroyed.

Thousands of people from both sides of the ongoing conflict have abandoned their villages in fear of reprisals and are currently seeking shelter in other locations. Many Buddhist Arakanese are reportedly sheltering in Buddhist temples, according to a local source.

The Arakan State government has imposed a curfew in Minbyar and Mrauk-U following the unrest, which began on Sunday night.

Hundreds of Rakhine students protested in Sittwe on Wednesday, claiming that they were unable to study under the security conditions in the city.

Some 70,000 people are estimated to have become homeless since the sectarian violence ignited in June.

Meanwhile, Burma’s opposition party National League for Democracy on Thursday urged the Burmese government to take further security measures to stop the ongoing violence in Arakan State and re-establish peace and security in townships such as Kyaukpyu, Minbyar, Mrauk-U and Ann. The 88 Generation Students group also released a statement calling on all people in Burma to work together to resolve this conflict, stressing that a solution must be based on democracy and human rights.

Myanmar violence forces more Rohingya Muslims to flee homes

An elderly Rohingya Muslim woman sits outside her tent at a camp in Rakhine state. (File photo)

Muslims in Myanmar’s western state of Rakhine have been forced to flee to emergency camps, as extremist Buddhists step up attacks on the Rohingya Muslims.

Government officials said hundreds of homes have been torched in the latest round of violence in Rakhine, where clashes broke out between Buddhists and Rohingyas.

Rakhine state spokesman Myo Thant said at least five Muslims have been killed and about 80 others wounded in four communities since October 21.

Tensions have heightened across Rakhine, and the Myanmar government has imposed a curfew in several areas.

According to figures by the United Nations Refugee Agency, over 1,000 displaced Rohingyas have arrived in Rakhine’s capital Sittwe over the past few days.

“Many more are supposed to be on their way. These people are all coming to the IDP (internally displaced person) camps close to Sittwe, which are already overcrowded,” said UN Refugee Agency spokesperson Vivian Tan.

Myanmar army forces allegedly provided the Buddhists with containers of petrol to set ablaze the houses of Muslim villagers and force them out of their houses.

The silence of human rights organizations toward the abuses against Rohingyas has emboldened the extremist Buddhists and Myanmar’s government forces.

The Buddhist-majority government of Myanmar refuses to recognize Rohingyas and has classified them as illegal migrants, even though the Rohingyas are said to be Muslim descendants of Persian, Turkish, Bengali, and Pathan origins, who migrated to Myanmar as early as the 8th century.

Reports say some 650 Rohingyas have been killed in Rakhine over the past few months. About 1,200 others are also missing and 80,000 more have been displaced.

Setting fire and killing Rohingyas resumes in Kyauk Taw

On 25th October, 2012, at 5:30am, thousands of Bengali Rakhine Terrorists in coalition with police surrounded a Rohingya village, Let Saung Kauk village, Kyauk Taw Township. While Rohingyas were praying their early morning prayer (Fajar Namaz) in a mosque in congregation, these Rakhine terrorists set fire initially at the south edge of the said village. Not fewer than 20 Rohingya houses were burnt down to ashes. These Bengali Rakhine terrorists are equipped with guns, most probably provided by the government armed officers, openly fired to the Rohingya mob, who are totally helpless and trying their best to escape only from the life-risk. Two Rohingya were shot to death by these Terrorist and Police on the spot. One Rohingya was seriously injured. The killed Rohingyas are identified: 

1. Bay Larl (F) U Ba Lii 

2. Son of Bi Ya Roe (his name is still under inquisition process) 

The injured Rohingya is Raha Nawddin, son of U Khin Maung, 45 years and he was fired by police face-to-face. It is a big question to everybody whether he will be alive or dead soon. His father is a pensioner of a government department. Now military is trying to control the situation in a certain degree. 

This report is compiled by basing on the telephone talk with a villager from the violence happening.

Nasaka killed Rohingya woman at Maungdaw

Maungdaw, Arakan State:  A Rohingya woman was killed by Burma’s border security force (Nasaka) on October 22, at her house while she was resisting Nasaka from arresting her son over accusation that he was holding a Bangladeshi mobile set, said a close relative of the victim.
“The victim was identified as Ms Hasina Khatun (50), wife of Sheraz, hailed from Oo Shaikya (Bura Shida Para) village, under Nasaka area No.5 of Maungdaw north.”

“On that day, at around 10:00 pm, a group of Nasaka from Nasaka area No.5 went to the victim’s house to arrest her son Noor Mohamed over the allegation that he was holding a Bangladeshi mobile set. But, the Nasaka did not find any mobile set from her son.  However, the Nasaka group was trying to arrest her son; as a result, Ms Hasina resisted the Nasaka from arresting her son. Meanwhile, the Nasaka became furious and hit her head with the bud of gun, hence, the woman was dead on the spot. After that the Nasaka left for their camp leaving the Noor Mohamed.”
Later, a group of villagers accompanied by her relatives went to the local Nassaka camp to appraise the event. The Nasaka commander told them that they will see the matter later.  So the villagers returned to their homes.
The next day, on October 23, the Nasaka Director Lt Col Maung Maung Oo accompanied by some Nasaka personnel went to the village and ordered to bury the dead body, according to a local elder.
Nasaka extorts money from Rohingya villagers after giving false and fabricated accusations is daily work of them, said a local elder who denied to be named.

More than 40 boats of Rohingyas float in the river

Kyaukpru, Arakan State:  More than 40 boats of Rohingyas are floating in the river near the Akyab today evening, according to a reliable person from Akyab.
“The boats tried to land in Akyab as the boats had no fuel, water, foods and medicines, but the security forces and Immigration officers were not allowed to land on Akyab.”
“The boats were pushed back to the river and the boats are now floating in the river.”
Rohingyas from Akyab tried to help the boats load Rohingyas from Kyaukpru with fuel, water and foods. The Rohingyas from Akyab also tried to help the wounded people for medical treatment and medicines for other people, according to an elder from Akyab.
“The information about floating boats spread all over the Rohingyas IDPs camps and reaming Rohingya villages in Akyab as well as Rakhine. The Rakhines are trying to attack the floating boats in the river. The boats want to land into Akyab, but the authorities didn’t allow them to enter. Rakhines are planning to kill this boats load Rohingyas.”
“There are more than 15,000 Rohingyas on boats and their fate is unknown.”
Some, Rohingya  from northern Arakan wished to reach this boats load Rohingyas to enter in Maungdaw or Bangladesh side for their save place as temporally to solve their rights in Burma.
Similarly, over 2000 Rohingyas, whose houses were burnt down to ashes, from Ywa Thit and Ywa Haung villages, Pauktaw township, tried  to escape from their areas with  7 engine boats, 55  paddling boats and one sampan to Akyab to save their lives today, according to a Rohingya from Pauktaw.
“These Rohingyas group were attacked by Rakhines where some boats and sampan were sunk in the water. More than,100 Rohingyas died in the attacked. The dead bodies are floating in the river.”
“The group also not allowed to land by authorities and the y are also floating in the sea. God know their fate.”