July 23, 2017
Maungdaw- Fishing has completely stopped in the rivers of Northern Maungdaw, even in the areas outside the perimeter of the deadly clearance operations that killed a thousand Rohingyas last year.
Our correspondents from many of the village tracts have confirmed that Hlun Htein forces have boosted their presence especially operating out of their bases in Kunir Khali, Kuwa Bil and Nasha Dong and are detaining and torturing fishermen who have ventured into the waterways. During the assault, the Hlun Htein said they had no right ti conduct fishing as they were foreigers and the water belongs to the ‘prople’ of Myanmar.
One Fazal Karim has told our local correspondent that he was arrested and beaten by the Hlun Htein till he was unconscious. The victim is still in a critical state with multiple fractured bones. The fate has befallen many fishermen.
As a result of the fishing ban, many households are close to starvation as it is along with logging, one of the mainstay occupations for Rohingyas who have little land of their own.
Activists have alleged the Myanmar government spearheaded by the Tatmadaw have devised a strategy to attack Rohingyas going out of their villages to fish and cut wood, thus depriving them of food and create artificial starvation.
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