Arakan News Agency
Rohingya Muslim villagers who spoke to a group of visiting reporters in Myanmar’s Arakan state have been harassed and, in at least one case, murdered. Rohingya advocates are offering conflicting accounts on government involvement.
The body of one of the men who spoke to reporters was found headless in a river, while others fled to neighboring Bangladesh. One woman told media by telephone from Bangladesh that she feared for her life after telling the visiting journalists reporters that she had been raped by soldiers.
The invitation-only media tour, comprising mainly journalists from Myanmar-based publications, marked the first time reporters had been allowed into the region in Arakan state since three police posts came under attack on Oct. 9, leaving nine border guards dead.
Human rights groups accused the Myanmar military of responding with excessive force, and released satellite photos to support their claims that several Rohingya villages were burned to the ground. Soldiers are also accused of rapes, killings and other abuses that prompted thousands of Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh. Myanmar authorities reject the charges.
The reporters, who were escorted by government officials to selected villages last week, were unable to confirm most of the complaints. At least two women told the reporters that they had been raped.
Human Rights Watch has estimated that 1,500 buildings have been burned since the Myanmar military deployed to the area following the attacks on the police posts. The United Nations says 30,000 people have been left homeless and 27,000 have fled to Bangladesh.
