Police warn Sau Raw Gazi Bil not to report army atrocities to international observers
December 19, 2016
In Sau Raw Gazi Bil, police went house to house on Monday informing Rohingya families there will be worse to come unless they told a visiting delegation their village was destroyed by Muslim rebels, or they set fire to their own houses. They said the attacks of November 12 and November 13 were nothing compared to what would follow if their orders were not obeyed.
“You tell them that you have been living like this for a long time. Tell them the terrorists (Muslim rebels) did this to you. The other houses you destroyed on your own to get money from foreigners,” said the police officials. After they left, the Rohingyas were confused which of the three alternatives they should relate, as it is not sensible that all the three somewhat contrasting accounts would be believed by international observers!
Earlier, many Rohingyas were killed or tortured while women were raped after relating to observers how armed forces unleashed a draconian crackdown on the civilian populace since October 9.
Sau Raw Gazi Bil, along with Bor Gazi Bil, Sa Li Frang and Ra Bai La were hit with helicopter gunships, rocket launchers and heavy machine guns after protesters resisted a Tatmadaw team from carrying out rape of Rohingya women. Around 150 people were killed in those attacks.
Escape from Mun Gala, no escape from death
He managed to escape from Arakan, but did not escape death. Such has been the sad fate of one Rohingya man who after being shot by security forces, managed to cross the border to Bangladesh and avail medical treatment, but succumbed to his injuries in that country’s hospital.
Shah Alam, 45, was apprehended by the military on Sunday evening from Mun Gala in Maungdaw North. He was then shot and left near his home in the late hours.
On Monday morning, Alam was taken across the border by family members. Though a risky journey as Bangladesh border patrol are vigilant to prevent Rohingyas from crossing over, they somehow managed to make it to safety and arrived at the Leda refugee camp at around 8am. However, he perished after being taken for medical treatment.
Earlier, some Rohingyas wounded by bullet fire were handed back to the Hlun Htein on orders of the Bangladesh government. Two of the bullet ridden Rohingyas were tortured to death by security forces. Ignoring growing public support for the Rohingyas in the country, the government of Bangladesh led by prime minister Sheikh Hasina has pledged support for the security forces of Myanmar, despite the lukewarm attitude of the latter.
Many Rohingyas pushed back by Bangladesh are killed by the Hlun Htein on the Naf river.
One killed amid mounting tensions in Kiladong
In a separate incident, a man was shot dead by Hlun Htein forces in Kiladong, Maungdaw South on Monday. The security forces allege the deceased Hamid wanted to attack them with a knife. Locals say the allegation is incorrect as Hamid is an elderly man and it is suicidal to stage a lone attack on well armed Hlun Htein forces with a household knife.
Kiladong, one of the traditional hotspots of the Maungdaw region have remained relatively calm as security forces concentrated their crackdown on northern villages. However there are fears that the forces would divert their attention to Maungdaw South after finishing with the north. In recent days, sources have reported a gradual build up of Tatmadaw forces around many southern villages.
In January 2014, scores of women and children in Kiladong were hacked to death by a Rakhine mob backed by security forces. Since then, security forces cracked down on survivors from Kiladong to prevent them from speaking to the international media. Many were tortured to death.
Girls sexually abused in Nga Khura
Security forces entered the Major Para neighbourhood of Nga Khura and went house to house looting valuables, starting from around 9am on Thursday morning. Tatmadaw personal especially seemed interested about the house of Md Jinnah. They dug up the ground on his premises, but failed to find anything.
After that, they entered a neighbour’s house and sexually abused two girls by kissing them and passing lewd remarks.
Earlier, many people arrested from this village, including community leaders were tortured to death.
Fishermen arrested and beaten up… for fishing in Oo Daung
Three men were arrested and brutally beaten up in Oo Daung on Friday night.
Abdul Karim, Sultan and Iman Hossain were intercepted by Hlun Htein forces when they had gone to a nearby river to catch fish. They were later released following the payment of half a million kyats. During the beatings in custody, the Hlun Htein personal told the Rohingyas that they did not have the right to fish in the rivers as this is not their country.
Even though Oo Daung and other southern villages have been spared the crackdown of Maungdaw North, there has been a strict curfew in the region and all Rohingyas have been prevented from leaving their villages. As a result, the area is suffering from chronic food shortages. Family members of the victims say the men went out to fish after they could not bear the hungry cries of their children anymore. However, instead of getting food to eat, they have instead had to part with valuable assets that they had been saving up in these troubled times.
Rohingya activists allege the blockade imposed by security forces on Rohingya villages is a systematic effort to starve the populace and drive them out of the country.
Shots fired for playing football in Hassu Rata
16 children from Hassu Rata, Maungdaw South were playing football on Friday when Hlun Htein came to the spot and fired in the air. The children were then rounded up and asked on whose permission they were playing football in the field. When the children said they were not aware that playing football required permission, the security personal shouted at them and said that since this was not their country, they were not allowed to play football in the fields.
The children were later released after the payment of 160,000 kyats.
