October 24, 2016
Seven women have been raped in Kawa Bil, Maungdaw after the military chased down a group of Rohingyas who have been camping in the open.
The Rohingyas had pitched outside the village tract in tents when the military team came and rounded them up on Monday. They then forced seven women to come along with them to a distance. They were later returned but had been raped multiple times.
Many other women were sexually molested in full public view as the soldiers touched them in their private parts.
The army then ordered the villagers to go back to Kawar Bil. However, earlier on Sunday, the Hlun Htein had ordered villagers in two neighbourhoods to evacuate their homes or face an imminent all out offensive, forcing approximately 2000 people to flee the area.
Despite the army order, the villagers did not go back as there was contradiction between the orders of the Tatmadaw and the Hlun Htein. There are also reports that special police units in collaboration with Nataala men were looting the houses and were threatening to kill anyone who returned. Under such circumstances, the villagers decided they would be a more elusive target if they stayed outside the locality. However, as this recent episode shows, even escape from the village has not led to security for the Rohingya Muslims.
A BGP commander alleged on Sunday that villagers had been sheltering Muslim rebels prior to an attack on security forces earlier this month.
