November 23, 2016
Hundreds of people escaping to Bangladesh have been handed back to the Hlun Htein by the country’s border force in the biggest pushback yet since the start of the recent crackdown. Local sources from the Myanmar side of the border say it is likely many of those who have been handed back by the Bangladesh authorities will be killed by the Hlun Htein and Tatmadaw, while all of them will be brutally tortured. The incident happens as reports continue to filter in that the Tatmadaw had taken hundreds of Rohingyas pushed back by Bangladesh to unknown locations. Generally, people taken away in recent times don’t return, leading to fears they have been killed.
Throughout Tuesday, hundreds of Rohingyas tried to enter Bangladesh territory through Wycom, Balukhali, Taimru and Lambabil but were apprehended by the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB). They were kept in guard till they were handed back to the Hlun Htein. At this point, many local Bangladeshis, especially in Wycom requested the BGB not to hand over the Rohingyas but they were rebuked by the border authorities who said they had little choice in this matter as they were under strict orders from higher officials. During this time, many of the Rohingyas broke down in tears, crying they would be killed the moment they were handed back to Myanmar.
In one incident on November 15, around 90 Rohingyas who had crossed over in to Bangladesh were handed over to Hlun Htein. While the children were handed over to the village headman of Mun Gala, the adults, both men and women were taken away to an unknown location. Since then nobody has any knowledge of their whereabouts.
Meanwhile many who tried to escape to Bangladesh have been shot by Myanmar security forces near the border. More than 20 people have reportedly been killed in such incidents. Unlike previous times, the Tatmadaw is preventing Rohingyas from fleeing to Bangladesh.
Tens of thousands of Rohingyas who are waiting for an opportunity to cross over to Bangladesh are passing their days without access to food amid an impending humanitarian catastrophe.
Ignoring public sympathy for the Rohingyas, the Bangladesh government has kept the borders closed and pledged support to Myanmar in the crackdown.
Robbers and rapists identified
On the other hand, many who had crossed the border have been robbed and the women raped by dacoits. Local sources say many of these criminals reside in the villages on the border. They have even managed to identify those who have taken part in one such incident when three women were gangraped in Nila of Bangladesh. They are Kamal (s/o Mokbul), Mushtaq (s/o Jalal Ahmed) and Jajir (s/o Didar), all of them residents of Mina Bazar.
Raped women from Ra Bai La in critical condition
Many of the women raped by the Tatmadaw on November 13 are in critical condition. Some of them have suffered injuries when the army assaulted them with sticks and sharp weapons during gang rape. Some are in critical condition as they have been raped too many times. Out of them, it looks like four women are likely to die.
18 raped in Sau Ra Gazi Bil
The village tract of Sau Ra Gazi Bil was destroyed in the raids of November 12 and 13 but a few houses in the Northern neighbourhood are still standing. Most Rohingyas had fled towards the direction of the village tracts on the Bangladesh border but around a hundred Rohingyas had quietly taken refuge in that area and crowded in to the houses still standing.
But on Tuesday, soldiers raided the area and took the Rohingyas hostage. They were led in the direction of a pond. Here 18 women were taken aside and one after another, the soldiers lined up to rape them.
