The Dhaka Times Desk In Myanmar's western Rakhine (Arakan) state, brutal killings of Muslims are going on. Officially, 112 people have been killed in the renewed violence. But human rights organizations say the number of Muslim victims of massacres by Buddhist extremists is much higher. Since the start of the riots in June, the number of homeless has reached at least a few hundred thousand, according to the United Nations.
According to the news of various newspapers and magazines, in 22 villages of Muslim-dominated Akiab, nearly five thousand houses of Muslims have been burnt in this violence. Millions of Muslims had to flee to become homeless. Entire areas inhabited by Rohingya Muslims have been destroyed. The UN regional representative in Yangon and Human Rights Watch said, citing local authorities, that almost all of the casualties and refugees are from the Muslim minority, known there as the Rohingya. Muslim citizens have alleged that members of Myanmar's army and border guard Nasaka have aided in the violence. They said that government forces did not stop the attackers but actively supported the violence by supplying drums and jerrycans filled with petrol and kerosene.
Rakhine state government spokesman Win Miao said on October 26 that 112 people were killed and 72 people, including 10 children, were injured in the violence that began on October 21. According to international media reports, on the eve of the holy Eid-ul-Azhar, there was a massive clash in Ratha Toang suburb on the night of October 25. It soon spread to Kayok suburb. Police opened fire to bring the situation under control. The unfortunate Rohingya Muslims are being rejected despite trying to seek refuge in Bangladesh. BGB and Coast Guard members are pushing back the Rohingya Muslim women, men and children who are seeking asylum under the strict instructions of the Bangladesh government. As a result, many people are dying of starvation in the ocean.
The human rights organization Adhikar has expressed deep concern over the massive killing and displacement of Rohingya Muslims in the renewed violence in Myanmar and called on the international community to come forward to protect the Rohingya minority. The Hong Kong-based Asian Human Rights Commission has supported this joint statement by Adhikar, Human Security Alliance and Asian Muslim Network. The statement noted that international support and cooperation is needed to protect Myanmar's Rohingya Muslim minority. The statement also drew the attention of the international community, describing the incident of not giving shelter to Rohingya Muslims who were victims of violence in Bangladesh as a gross violation of human rights.
Last May, a Buddhist woman was rumored to have been raped by some Muslims. In the wake of this news, violence spread between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims. 90 people were killed then. Emergency was declared in the state immediately after this. However, the reason for this violence is not known. Rohingyas and Buddhists blame each other.
Meanwhile, the country's president has acknowledged the large-scale damage caused by ethnic riots in Myanmar's Rakhine province. The BBC reported, citing a Thein Sein spokesman, that most of the houses in the coastal Kyokpyu area of Rakhine State had been burnt. The government's admission came after Human Rights Watch released satellite images of the devastated city.
Human Rights Watch satellite images of the area show the population has been depleted. A spokesman for Myanmar's president confirmed the authenticity of the photo to the BBC. It is said that this incident happened last October 24. It also said that the violence could not be controlled immediately. On the other hand, the United Nations has called on Myanmar to take urgent action in this regard. With this news, BBC said, security has been strengthened in the area. Human Rights Watch says satellite images show more than 800 houses and boats used as houses in the town of Kayokpiu have been burned. A Rohingya named Thein Shoye said, they have lost everything including their houses, money. They could not sacrifice animals on the day of Eid. A spokeswoman for Human Rights Watch said the Rohingya had suffered a "brutal" attack. Thousands of people have been driven from their homes. The people of the affected area fled by boat but did not find shelter anywhere. Rohingya Muslims who came to seek refuge in Bangladesh have been pushed back very mercilessly. Most of them are children and women. Many have taken refuge on an island. But they are not allowed to enter the regional capital city of Sitay.
Meanwhile, the United Nations has expressed concern over the new riots between Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar. The United Nations says that thousands of people displaced by the violence need urgent relief. According to the Myanmar government, as many as 20,000 people have been left homeless since the riots began in June. However, according to the United Nations, the number of homeless is at least 100,000, almost all of whom are Rohingya Muslims. United Nations officials visiting violence-torn areas with government delegations on Saturday say they need urgent relief aid now.
English 
Bengali