Five Rohingya houses burned down in Maungdaw

Rakhine man holds homemade weapons as he walks in front of houses that were set alight during fighting between Buddhist Rakhine and Muslim Rohingya communities in Sittwe, on June 10, 2012.photot (Reuters)

Maungdaw, Arakan State: Five Rohinga houses were burned down by Rakhine Natala villagers at Maungdaw south on December 2, at night, said a local villager on condition of anonymity.

“The Natala villagers are from Inn Din Rakhine Natala village of Maungdaw Township. They set fire to the houses of Rohingya Inn Din village by throwing kerosene gallons with fire. Later, Rohingya villagers found some of plastic gallons while the Natala villagers fled from the scene.”

“The owners of the houses are identified as---Rahamat Ullah (30), son of Kasim, Din Mohammed (35), son of Abdu Motalab, Sharafat Ullah (40), son of Sayedullah, Bindo (35), son of Nazir Ahmed and Nurul Islam (50), son of Hipru.”

On that day, at around 10:30 pm, a group of Natala villagers from Inn Din Rakhine Natala village went to Inn Din Rohingya village and set fire to the said houses with kerosene gallons. When the fire was seen by the villagers, neighboring villagers rushed to the spot and tried to extinguish the fire, but in vain. All the household belongings were burnt down including paddy, rice, even their fowls and goats. The villagers lost all their possessions, said a close relative of the victims.

Besides, in the fire, a villager was seriously burnt and has been taking medical treatment from a local quack doctor because of difficulty to admit in government hospital, he more added.

The next day, the villagers went to the local Nasaka camp with the plastic gallons and appraised the event. The commander of the Nasaka told them that the owners of the houses burnt down their houses by themselves and gave blames to the Rakhine villagers. So, the villagers did not get justice from the Nasaka officer and returned their village with disappointment, said one of the villagers who went to Nasaka camp.

The Natala villagers are encouraged by the local security force to commit any crime against the Rohingya community. After the riot in June, 2012, the local Rakhine community and the concerned authorities have been disturbing the Rohingya community. How will the Rohingya community get peace under the Then Sein’s quasi-civilian government? , said a village elder preferring not to be named.

Local Rakhine community with the collaboration of local concerned authorities will disturb the Rohingya community until and unless taking stern actions against the culprits who committed crimes against the Rohingyas. Their intention is not to live Rohingya people peacefully in Arakan, at last to flee the motherland, said another local elder.

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