HRW: 40 Rohingya villages destroyed in Myanmar since October

Satellite imagery shows that Rohingya villages continued to be destroyed as Myanmar and Bangladesh singed a deal to return Rohingya refugees home.

MENA

2 min read

The New Arab

18 December, 2017

Around 647,000 Rohingya refugees have fled to Bangladesh since August [Getty]

Satellite imagery shows that at least 40 Rohingya villages have been destroyed in Myanmar's Rakhine State since September, Human Rights Watch said in a statement on Monday.

This bring the total number of villages partially or completely destroyed since Myanmar's military began its crackdown in August to 354.

"The Burmese army's destruction of Rohingya villages within days of signing a refugee repatriation agreement with Bangladesh shows that commitments to safe returns were just a public relations stunt," said Human Rights Watch Asia director Brad Adams.

"The satellite imagery shows what the Burmese army denies: that Rohingya villages continue to be destroyed. Burmese government pledges to ensure the safety of returning Rohingya cannot be taken seriously."

HRW's analysis showed that dozens of structures were burnt down in the week of November 23, when Myanmar and neighbouring Bangladesh controversially agreed to repatriate Rohingya refugees within two months.

The rights watchdog urged international bodies and states to do more to help the plight of Myanmar's Rohingya minority.

"The UN Security Council and concerned governments shouldn't continue to stand by as evidence of continuing attacks on the Rohingya community comes to light," Adams said.

"Targeted sanctions need to be imposed now against those responsible for ordering and carrying out crimes against humanity."

On Thursday, medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF) said that at least 6,700 Rohingya Muslims were killed in the first month of the army crackdown that began in late August.

The figure is the highest estimated death toll yet of violence that erupted on August 25 and triggered a massive refugee crisis, sending some 647,000 Rohingya fleeing across the border to Bangladesh.

The UN and US have described the military operation as "ethnic cleansing" of the Muslim minority, but have not released specific death tolls.