Mass rapes take place as Tatmadaw leads clearance operations in Kyan Taung

May 16, 2017

Buthidaung- Tatmadaw and Hlun Htein personal have indulged in a mass rape orgy in the restive village tract of Kyan Taung in Buthidaung.

On May 8, hundreds of personal entered the middle hamlet known as Ali Roa and detained everyone they could find. The detained, both men and women were herded into a field. At this point, some of the women were taken to a secluded place and raped, according to testimonies of the victims. Some of the men were severely assaulted.

The forces then went on a long search and detained more than a dozen women who were hiding in one place. All of them were sexually assaulted and many were raped.

Activists have long alleged the Tatmadaw uses rape as a weapon of war to demoralise ethnic communities before taking over their land. 

Troops also looted valuables from the homes of the Rohingyas at this time. Many who had worked hard to come up with savings have lost everything, and don’t know how their families will survive in the coming days.

Operations also took place on May 9, May 10 and May 11 but details are not forthcoming. Kyan Taung is a remote village and it takes some time for information to reach from local correspondents to our editorial desk.

It is assumed that operations have continued at full pace since May 11 to May 16 till publishing of this report.

The government announced beginning of clearance operations in Kyan Taung after an explosion killed two Rohingyas and wounded two others near Themi. The government alleges the explosions took place as an accident of bomb making but locals allege the Muslims were targeted by a Buddhist nationalist gang backed by the authorities. The explosion tool place as Wirathu’s visit raised tensions in the Maungdaw and Buthidaung region.

The Tatmadaw has been committing gruesome atrocities, including killing of infant children in the remote regions north of the Taung Bazaar area in Buthidaung in the last few weeks. The remoteness of the region makes it very difficult for our correspondents and other Rohingya media outlets to collect authentic news.