May 14, 2017
Maungdaw- Panic is prevailing in the village tract of Ang Dhang in Maungdaw South after Hlun Htein officials called a meeting with community elders on Friday following Jumma prayers.
During the meeting, Hlun Htein told the Rohingyas that they have information that ‘terrorists’ are hiding among the local populace. They threatened the Rohingya population with dire consequences and said they will meet the same fate as the destroyed village tracts of Maungdaw North where gruesome atrocities were committed last year in the name of clearance operations.
The part of Maungdaw South has not seen any rebel activity but locals are now fearing the security forces will stir up trouble and commit systematic ethnic cleansing similar to Maungdaw North. Villagers have also been ordered not to come out of their homes after evening. There are also fears the security forces will tighten the blockade of the village and prevent locals from going to the waterways, thus depriving them of a livelihood and create systematic starvation.
Rohingya activists have long alleged the government blockade on Muslim settlements is a well devised strategy to deprive locals of their livelihood and force them to move out to Bangladesh.
A tense atmosphere is prevailing in the area.
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