A middle school teacher, U Maung Ni, from ThihoKyun of Northern Maungdaw reported that Myanmar army burnt down their homes, killed 100s of civilians and alleged them Bengali terrorists.
Maung Ni said “Military came to our village and started open fire on us on 26 August 2017. We all ran to save our lives. Later, army blazed our homes. Myanmar regime has been labeling us Bengali terrorists since 1990. We are not terrorists. We are victims of Genocide since 1990. I condemned ARSA militants’ attack on Border Guard Posts in October 9, 2016. Instead of finding the attackers, military and border guards targeted only civilians in October, November and December. In November, ARSA militants came to our village, forced villagers prepare food for them. Ali Akbar informed military about the militants. When soldiers came, they arrested those who fed militants because militants left at that time .Now, ARSA again attacked police posts. Though we don’t support them, we became target of military. Why? We are not terrorists . We are victims of genocide.”
On 28 August, army officers warned Anauk Pyin and Nyaung Bin Gyi villages of Rathedaung, two Rohingta villages among twenty two Rakhine villages, depend on ration of WFP since 2012, to leave wherever they can or army will torch the villages. said Amir Hakim
Myanmar’s State Media broadcasts propaganda against Rohingya twenty four hours; Bengali terrorists are torching houses and killing Rohingyas, in Ratheduang, Buthidaung and Maungdaw. State Counselor Office Information Center is under supervision of genocider, Zaw Htay who has been organizing propaganda against Rohingya since 2011.
According to latest information, 19 Rohingya villages have been blazed into ashes, 700 Rohingya civilians were slaughtered or shot to death by military, 90000 Rohingyas lost their homes.
U Kyaw Naing from ThaeChaung IDP camp of Sittwe said ” Current situation in Rathedaung, Buthidaung and Maungdaw is hundred times worse than 2012 massacre. In 2012, Myanmar army used Rakhine extremists to destroy us but since October 2016, military, border guards police and Rakhine extremists led by Aye Maung have been killing us in the name of ARSA. If ARSA really committed crimes, we have no objection to punish them. Why are the thousands of innocent civilians being target of security forces?
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(c) 2017 Arakan Times