Dear
all,
I'm writing to update you about the situation of the Rohingya people in Rakhine
State, especially in Hpon Nyo Leik village in Buthidaung Township.
In my previous emails, I've mentioned the ongoing conflict between the Myanmar
military and the Arakan Army. Sadly, since the last week of January, more than
a dozen Rohingya have been killed, many injured, and numerous houses destroyed
by the artillery fires.
After a brief pause in the fighting, the displaced Rohingya from Hpon Nyo Leik
village returned home. However, today, while they were trying to settle back
in, they faced another unfortunate incident.
Unlike before, it wasn't the Arakan Army that started the fighting today.
Instead, the Myanmar military fired artillery towards the Rohingya village.
Reports from the ground indicate that at least one Rohingya man and two women
were seriously injured and taken to the hospital in Buthidaung downtown.
Fearing further attacks from the military, the villagers fled the village once
again.
In the past weeks, the Arakan Army had attacked Myanmar military outposts,
resulting in Rohingya casualties during the military's responses. However, this
time, without any provocation, firing artillery at Rohingya homes suggests the
military's intent to force them out of the village. It seems they're using the
situation to push the Rohingya to leave for Bangladesh.
I also want to share a statement from the UN Human Rights High Commissioner and
reports from Human Rights Watch and Fortify Rights. These documents shed light
on the dire situation of the Rohingya in Buthidaung Township.
UN Human Rights High Commissioner’s statement:
https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2024/01/myanmar-human-rights-situation-worsens-military-lashes-out-indiscriminately
Human Rights Watch’s report:
https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/02/09/myanmar-rohingya-risk-rakhine-fighting
Fortify Rights’ report:
https://www.fortifyrights.org/mya-inv-2024-02-13/
While we're focused on Buthidaung Township, there have been Rohingya
casualties in Kyauktaw Township in recent days. Seven Rohingya, including an
11-year-old girl and a 92-year-old woman, were killed, and 16 others, including
a 6-month-old boy, were injured.
In conclusion, I want to highlight that the Myanmar military typically uses
harsh tactics, neglecting humanitarian aid for displaced people in need. Most
international organizations and foreign missions have withdrawn from the
region.
However, Rohingya in the diaspora and those in Yangon are doing their best to
support those affected. A group of Rohingya youth, in collaboration with
Jessica Olney, is distributing aid in Buthidaung and Maungdaw Township with the
help of local contacts. About 25% of their aid goes to the Rohingya community,
while the rest supports Rakhine, Hindu, and other minority groups. It's a
commendable initiative.
I'm not asking for donations from you, but I'd appreciate it if you could
share this link with your friends: https://www.gofundme.com/f/save-trapped-civilians-in-rakhine-state.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Nay San Lwin
--
Nay San Lwin | co-founder, free rohingya coalition
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