RB News

RB News

January 24, 2018

Buthidaung -- A group of Rakhine Buddhist extremists have set fire on Rohingya homes in Buthidaung Township this early morning, say reliable reports.

The fire which happened at 'Htin Shaar Pyin' hamlet, 'Latwei Dek Pyinshay' village, in Buthidaung around 3 am today destroyed three houses (that had been) abandoned by their owners.

"First they torched two deserted houses and then, another one that is four houses apart from the early two. As the villagers came out to extinguish the fire, a group of Rakhine extremists were seen fleeing towards the Rakhine villages called 'Inn Pauk' and 'Thabbyay Taw' (located to the West of

Htin Shaar Pyin).

"The fire burnt down the three houses and the villagers extinguished the fire before it could do further damages", a local of the village told RB News.

The houses destroyed in the fire belonged to 1) U Asmat Ullah s/o Basu Meah, 2) Daw Safura and 3) Mohammed Alam.

Some 100 of total 300 houses (households) at 'Htin Shaar Pyin' were abandoned by their owners as they had sought refuge in Bangladesh to escape from the Burmese (Myanmar) military terrorism last year.

On Monday (Jan 22) evening, the Burmese Security Forces burnt down 4 Rohingya homes at 'Taungpyo Letya' sub-township in Northern Maungdaw.

[Edited by M.S. Anwar]

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Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh protest to fulfill demands before their repartriations.

RB News

January 23, 2018

Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh -- The Bangladesh Police arrested 3 Rohingya refugees in 'Ukhia' area on Monday (Jan 22) for reportedly trying to stage a protest, reports say.

The 3 refugee figureheads from 'Kutupalong camps' visited 'Zamtoli Camps' yesterday apparently to organize a protest against the forced repartriation of the refugees from Bangladesh to Burma (Myanmar).

"First, they were arrested and detained by the Bangladesh Army at around 11:30 am. After investigations, they were released in the afternoon.

"And at around 8 pm, the Ukhia Police arrested and detained them. They are still physically in safe condition in the Police custody but will be detained up to 7 days under the charges which we don't know", said an eyewitness at 'Zamtoli' Camps.

The 3 refugee figureheads are identified as: 1) Muhibullah s/o Fazal, 2) Ali Hussain s/o Rashid Ahmed and 3) Abdu Jaber s/o Kabir Ahmed.

We were unable to reach out to the Ukhia Police (through telephone) for further verifications and the latest information on the detainees.

More than 600,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh to escape from Genocide that the Burmese military and the Rakhine Buddhist extremists have unleashed in Arakan state, Burma, since August 25, 2017.

An overwhelming majority of them do not to be repatriated to Burma until and unless their ethnic status and citizenship are restored; the safety and securities for their lives are guaranteed; and other basic human rights are ensured through effective interferences of the UN and the international community.

[Reported by MYARF; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

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Burmese (Myanmar) Security Forces carrying out surprise raids in Rohingya villages in Maungdaw after a rumor originally spread by the government officials themselves

RB News

January 22, 2018

Maungdaw -- Two suspicious people, who the authorities said, entered Maungdaw from Bangladesh last week and are plotting to carry out explosions in the township.

Following what's likely a rumor, the joint-forces of Burmese Military and Security Forces carried out surprise raids in 'Italia village and Bohmuu hamlet of Quarter 4' on Sunday (Jan 21). No suspicious people or materials were discovered in the raids.

At around 10:30pm on Sunday, at least 18-truck loads of the joint-forces were patrolling around the village of Shujah (Shwe Zar) in northern Maungdaw and afterwards, they continuosly carried out gun-fires and explosions that sounded like 'bomb explosions' at the Naff river-bank to the west of the village, according to a local's report.

The joint-forces conducted similar raids at Pantawpyin (Lal Boinna) village in southern Maungdaw today but no arrests were made. They searched in and around the Rohingya houses and checked the Family Members against the 'Family Registration List.'

"It is really a suspicious thing because the rumor-mongerers are government officials themselves. It's likely being done to intensify the situation during the time of a scheduled repartriation of the first batch of the Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh", said a local in Maungdaw.

[Reports by MYARF; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

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Myanmar Systematically Destroyed the Physical Foundation of Rohingya Community, in substantial part.

1) 354 villages, 110 kilometer or 68 miles (that's an area stretching from the British Parliament to Oxford or even longer);

2) nearly 700,000 survived in Bangladesh, after having fled the genocidal terror by Myanmar in a span of 90 days (from 26 Aug till 31 Dec 2017);

3) besides, the estimated 80,000 already fled in the period between Oct 2015-Aug 2016);

4) this exodus follows the pattern of genocide-&-terror-flight -5 altogether - since 12 Feb 1978;

5) 6,700 Rohingya massacred in 31 days of the first month of 2017 killings by Myanmar, according to a very limited survey carried out by MSF or Doctors Without Borders;

6) out of the estimated 700,000 Rohingya survivors, about 300,000 are children of whom 20,000 lost their parents (that is, they are orphans);

7) in the first months, again the MSF's limited survey shows, about 750 killed were children under the age of 5;

8) unknown number of Rohingya women - surely by the thousands- raped and slaughtered by Myanmar Government troops;

9) but, even prior to the physical destruction of their villages and direct killings by Myanmar troops of their community members, the Rohingyas were living in conditioned designed as a matter of policy and strategy by Myanmar to destroy their biological foundations of life - their bodies as 150,000 Rohingyas had access to only 1 - ONE - doctor in the two combined urban areas of Maungdaw and Buthidaung, according to a Lancet review article on public health conditions of the Rohingyas, while 80,500 children under the age of 5 are made to suffer by Myanmar sub-Saharan like semi-famine (or "severe acute malnutrition" and "acute malnutrition", according to the World Food Program's limited survey);

10) none of this includes 120,000 Rohingyas that have been placed in camps since the two bouts of mass and organized violence against them in June and Oct 2012, the camps that could only be described as semi-concentration camps;

11) there may be about 500,000 Rohingyas left inside Myanmar in areas that are heavily monitored as "security grids" by Myanmar inter-agency securit units - mainly around Buthidaung and they will face future waves of genocidal terror, when - not if - Myanmar gov and Rakhine local decide to finish off their Joint Genocidal Project;

12) last but not last, there may be an upward of about 500,000 Rohingyas in total who have fled the previous waves of Myanmar genocidal attacks since 1978, who are scattered in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, and to a far lesser extent in Australia, Scandinavia, Western Europe, USA and Canada.

If you fight to end this genocide - like I do, albeit to no avail - you would understand why I didn't have an appetite for joining those who popped champagne last night.

ZARNI

"A Reuters graphic makes use of data from the U.N. Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) to show hundreds of villages in Rakhine state that were once inhabited by the Rohingya, but have now been burned down.

A total of 354 villages have either been completely or partially destroyed, Human Rights Watch said on Dec. 18.

The data, which was gathered from Aug. 25, the day of the Rohingya militant attack, to Nov. 25, shows burned settlements in an area stretching 110 km (68 miles) from the green hills of Rakhine’s northern tip to beaches near the state’s capital Sittwe in the south."

Here is the full text of the Reuters story:

A visual that shows just how many Rohingya villages have been burned

By Reuters

January 1, 2018

In the four months since the Myanmar military began a crackdown after Rohingya militants attacked an army base and police posts on Aug. 25, around 655,000 members of the stateless Muslim minority have fled the western state of Rakhine and crossed into neighboring Bangladesh.

A Reuters graphic makes use of data from the U.N. Operational Satellite Applications Programme (UNOSAT) to show hundreds of villages in Rakhine state that were once inhabited by the Rohingya, but have now been burned down. 

A total of 354 villages have either been completely or partially destroyed, Human Rights Watch said on Dec. 18. 

The data, which was gathered from Aug. 25, the day of the Rohingya militant attack, to Nov. 25, shows burned settlements in an area stretching 110 km (68 miles) from the green hills of Rakhine’s northern tip to beaches near the state’s capital Sittwe in the south. 

See the interactive graphic here: tmsnrt.rs/2zGVUmt

Top officials in the United Nations and United States have described the Myanmar military’s crackdown as ethnic cleansing. 

Myanmar has denied human rights abuses, saying its military is engaged in legitimate counter-insurgency operations. The military exonerated itself of all accusations of atrocities in an internal investigation, which published its findings on Nov. 13. Myanmar’s civilian government has said that the burnings were carried out by Rohingya militants and the Rohingya themselves. 

Myanmar’s military did not respond to Reuters’ questions about its role in the alleged atrocities against the Rohingya described in this graphic. 

Reporting by Weiyi Cai, Simon Scarr and Simon Lewis; Writing by Karishma Singh; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Martin Howell

MYARF

RB News

December 19, 2017

Maungdaw -- The villagers assure that the dead bodies in Inn Din graves are Rohingya whom were arrested on 31 of August, 2017. 

On 18 December, the Office of Myanmar's Commander-in-cheif announced that someone who does not want to be named informed that there are dead bodies in graves of Inn Din cemetery, Maungdaw South. Today, on 19 December, the office reannounced that there are (10) dead bodies in graves. 

Some undeniable facts about the arrested and killed people from Inn Din village including (10) dead Rohingya men were revealed when investigating with Inn Din Rohingya refugees who escaped for life in Bangladesh refugee camps. 

Since 28 to 31 of August, 2017, Myanmar military and Border Guard Police non-stopped burnt down the Rohingya houses in Inn Din village. So, almost Rohingya villagers escaped to nearby mountains, beach and villages to save their life. 

On 31 of August, 2017, Myanmar military and Border Guard Police arrested (10) Rohingya men who mushroomed on Inn Din beach when their houses were burnt to ground, the Inn Din Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh told RB News. 

The (10) Rohingya arrestees are; 

(1) MV Abdul Malek (s/o) U Mohammed, age-35

(2) Abul Hashim (s/o) U Kamarul, age-30

(3) Abdullah (s/o) U Abul Kalam, age-20

(4) Hafiz Ullah (s/o) U Nur Mohammed, age-28

(5) Rashid (s/o) U Abdul Shukur, age-20

(6) Abdul Mojid (s/o) U Mohammed, age-45

(7) Bangu (s/o) U Amaan Ullah, age-25

(8) Dilu (s/o) U Esop, age-30

(9) Bu Tar (s/o) U Abdul Rahaman, age-45 and 

(10) Rafique (s/o) U Mohammed Ramul, age-25

The villagers further added that the dead bodies in Inn Din graves are the (10) Rohingya men whom the military and Border Guard Police killed after arresting them from beach.

RB News

December 6, 2017

Tokyo, Japan -- Legislators from all parties, along with Human Rights Now, Human Rights Watch, and Save the Children, came together to host the emergency parliament in-house event “The Rohingya Human Rights Crisis and Japanese Diplomacy” on December 4th. The event started at 5:30PM and was a full house, gathering over 100 participants, including numerous media affiliates. It ended after 7:00PM with lively networking, interviews, and conversation.

Widespread military violence against the Rohingya ethnic minority in Rakhine State, Myanmar exploded in August of this year, forcing over 600,000 Rohingya to flee to neighboring Bangladesh. Reports from the Rohingya refugees detail grave human rights abuses against them at the hands of the Myanmar military; nevertheless, Japan abstained from voting on the resolution to condemn the persecutions against the Rohingya during the Third Committee meeting at the United Nations General Assembly on November 16. While 135 American and European countries adopted the resolution, by abstaining, Japan essentially shared the same stance with many dictatorship countries, among others.

It was for this reason, to push the Japanese government to reconsider its deplorable stance, that this event was held. Many legislators came to the event and made remarks, including Michihiro Ishibashi (Democratic Party), who graciously helped in the planning of the event; Ichiro Aisawa (Liberal Democratic Party); Mizuho Fukushima (Social Democratic Party); Yuriko Yamakawa (Constitutional Democratic Party); Yukihiko Akutsu (Constitutional Democratic Party); and Yukihisa Fujita (Social Democratic Party). In addition, several secretaries of legislators also attended the event.

The first main speaker was Yukihiko Kimura, a journalist reporting with on-site videos of the current Rohingya crisis. Despite being full to capacity, the entire room fell silent as we listened to various first-hand experiences of horror, including a woman’s raw account of rape and losing her family.

The next speaker was Shogo Watanabe, a member of the Lawyers’ Group for Burmese Refugee Applicants in Japan, who traced back the conflict to its roots. We learned of the historical and political background of the persecution against the Rohingya, and he ended in voicing concern over why Rohingya refugees are not recognized as such, and are instead often taken into custody when they flee to Japan.

Afterwards, Zaw Min Htut, a Rohingya resident who has been living in Japan for nearly 20 years, delivered a powerful plea to both the government and all event participants in the audience. He deplored the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ silence on the matter, expressing his horror that genocide is repeating history even in the 21st century. The Japanese government is continuing its close relationship with the Myanmar government and high ranking military officials, which can be seen as tacit support of the human rights abuses. He ended his speech with a plea to every member of the audience to raise their voices and urge the Japanese government to change their stance.

The entire room was filled with mixed emotions: shock at seeing the suffering of the Rohingya refugees; surprised disappointment in the Japanese government’s abstaining on the Rohingya resolution at the UN General Assembly Third Committee; and anger as to why Japanese diplomacy isn’t taking action to stop this tragedy. We strongly hope that they take a firm stand to protect the rights of the Rohingya at the United Nations Human Rights Council’s special session on the violence against the Rohingya, taking place on December 5th in Geneva.

RB News

October 15, 2017

Akyab (Sittwe) -- Having forced nearly half a million Rohingyas out of the country and massacred thousands, the Myanmar authorities are now forcing the remaining of them into accepting NV Cards, according to local sources.

On October 14 morning, officials from Myanmar fishing department accompanied by many policemen arrived at 'Thae Chaung' village and held a meeting with the locals. During the meeting, the officials coerced them to accept NV Card but only met with absolute opposition from the people.

One fisherman in Sittwe said "the government threatened to ban us from going out to sea for fishing if we don't accept NV Card. They are trying to coerce us by banning access to our livelihood. So, let us die of starvation but not accept NV Cards."

It has been learnt that the government officials have informed the immigration and the police at 'Thae Chaung' and 'Bay Dar' beach check-posts to block all Rohingya fishermen from fishing unless they accept NV Card. There are more than 600 fishing boats, belong to Rohingya people at 'Thae Chaung' and 'Bay Dar' beaches, that are unable to set off to the sea for fishing.

The NV Card or National Verification Card (NVC) is, in effect, issued to a foreigner while he/she is going through citizenship verification during his/her citizenship application in Myanmar. The Rohingyas, who are natives of Arakan state of Myanmar and its citizens by birth, categorically reject the NV Card.

Several groups of government officials have begun threatening the locals of 'Shwe Zar' village  (originally called Shujah Fara) in Maungdaw Township to accept NV Cards since October 11.

"The government officials came at north hamlet of 'Shwe Zar' village again today (i.e. on Oct 15) and threatened to burn down the village if the villagers didn't accept NV Cards. So, the villagers ran away in fear.

"So, the officials have begun forcing passers-by, rickshaw pullers and farmers or any Rohingya they encounter into accepting the NV Card", said one village man.

The Myanmar government has subjected the Rohingya to go through the process of NV Card that seems like Myanmar government is taking steps to give citizenships to Rohingyas when it is a step to downgrade the native status of Rohingya. The Rohingyas do not need to go through citizenship verification as they were natives of Myanmar and until 1982, they were an indegenous ethnic group of Myanmar.

[Reported by Saeed Arkani & Rights Seeker; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

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RB News

October 3, 2017

Maungdaw -- The Myanmar Border Guard Police (BGP) has been chasing a Rohingya man for speaking to the UN Officials and the Foreign Diplomats during their visit to Maungdaw on Monday (Oct 2), sources say.

The UN Officials and the Diplomats visited the village of PanTawPyin (locally called Nol Boinna), one of a few Rohingya villages remained unburnt, in southern Maungdaw in two groups: one at around 12:30pm and another at 1pm. The authorities had the groups of diplomats meet with some villagers coerced and instructed in advance (by the authorities) as to what to say to them (i.e. the diplomats).

"The authorities had the groups of diplomats meet with the temporary in-charge of the village, Anwar, and his team who had been coerced before-hand to say good about the government like 'people at this village could live peacefully. The government looks after us. They always come and help us.' There was also no choice for them but to follow the government order as the authorities always tagged along with the diplomats. It was not an unfettered but planned and closely-watched trip for the diplomats," said a local villager to RB News.

While the diplimats were speaking to the villagers led by the village in-charge, a local Rohingya man speaking in English interuptted and explained the real situation of Rohingya on the ground. He vividly explained how the Burmese armed forces and the Rakhine extremists torched his house, too.

No sooner did the diplomats leave the village, the BGP have started an operation to hunt him down. But he knew he would be arrested for speaking to the diplomats. So, he fled the village before that, the villager added.

At around 5pm, the commander of 'Maggyi Chaung' BGP Camp sent 2 BGP personnel to bring the temporary in-charge of PanTawPyin village to the camp for investigations regarding that issue. Fearing of tortures and arrests, the village in-charge fled after giving impressions to the 2 policemen that he would follow them.

It has been learnt that the army lodged a report to their superior regarding the issue and commander in-charge of the region and he replied "the English speaking man have made allegations. He's a terrorist. Because of terrorists like him, the government's intugrity is affected."

Many villagers are now afraid to live in the village and attempting to flee to Bangladesh because of the raids being carried out and threats being posed by the BGP in regard to the English speaking Rohingya man who explained the real situation to the groups of diplomats.

[Reported by MYARF; Edited by M.S. Anwar]

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