Update of massacre in Myanmar

Update of massacre in Myanmar

(From Azmi Hamid: (azmi58@yahoo.com)

Dear All,

Please find the attached Press Release on Update situation of Arakan.I would like to request please share with your contact groups.

Thank You.

Best,

Tun Khin

Date: 2710.2012

Hundreds killed, Thousands of Rohingya floating on the sea and facing starvation.

During the last 24 hours, BROUK has received the following information from the ground;

1. More than 200 Rohingya dead bodies were buried in a mass grave in a long burrow in Yin Thae Village, Mrauk Oo Township.

2. 26^th October at 3:00AM (Local time), Rakhine mob set fire to Sidling village, Kyauktaw   and the whole village was burnt down. Still do not know how many people killed.

3. On 25^th October, 2012, at 3:30am (Local time), thousands of Rakhine in coalition with police surrounded a Rohingya village, Let Saung Kauk village, Kyauktaw Township.  Rakhine set fire and about 80 Rohingya houses were burnt down to ashes. Eyewitnesses are saying that Rakhine with guns open fire on the Rohingya and 6 Rohingya were shot dead, 2 injured.

4. 25^th October 8:00 AM (Local Time), Rakhine set fire to Min Tha Ba village, Kyauktaw Town. About 135 Rohingya’s houses were burnt down.

5. 25^th October 11:00 PM (Local Time), Rakhine mob set fire to Nainrong Village, Kyauktaw. 200 Rohingya houses burnt down. According to eyewitness 14 Rohingyas were shot dead by security forces and 32 Rohingya seriously injured.

6. While one boat (about 120 people) was trying to sail off from Kyaukphyu, all Rohingya and ethnic Kaman (a different Muslim minority) men were killed by Rakhine on the spot and their women were gang-raped according to one person from different boat.

7. On 25^th October About 100 Rohingyas who tried to escape with engineless boat from Pauktaw Town were stopped by Rakhine mobs and security forces on their way to Sittwe Camps. Rakhine shifted all women and children to their boat and killed all Rohingya young and elderly men on the river, according to a young boy who escaped from the boat.

8. More than 32 engineless boats (at least 2000) were rounded up by Rakhine and Burmese Navy and not allowed to anchor at Sittwe since October 24, 4:00 PM (Local Time). Those people are starving according to one person from the boat.

9. Since October 24 6PM (Local Time) At least 4,000 people are living in a paddy field in Pauktaw as their houses were bunt down. Their lives are at risk and anytime they could be killed by Rakhine and security forces. They are facing starvation.

Tun Khin President of BROUK said “Ethnic cleansing is happening under the noses of the international community and they are doing nothing. We can’t understand many news and journalists are saying it is communal clashes. These are not communal clashes; this is not equal sides fighting. This is state organized and state sanctioned ethnic cleansing where the vast majority of those killed and displaced are Rohingya. The Burmese government saying there are dead is deliberately deceiving the international community. We have confirmed reports that hundreds of people have been killed and the government must be aware of that.

BROUK President Tun Khin also said “President Thein Sein told the UNHCR in July that Burma/Myanmar will not take responsibility for the Rohingya because they are not citizens and “not our ethnicity”. As Burma is manifestly failing to protect its Rohingya population, the “responsibility to protect” them or the duty to prevent and halt genocide and mass atrocities, now lies with the international community”.

For more information, please contact Tun Khin +44 (0) 7888714866