Interview with Hindus who fled from their villages

August 31, 2017

On Saturday night, the family of 12 attempted to take cover from a firefight between terrorist gunmen and government security forces in an unfinished building near Myothugyi Village in Maungtaw Township, northern Rakhine State.

Six family members, including two men, a woman and three children were killed by ARSA extremist terrorists. The Myanmar News Agency interviewed surviving family members and is publishing their words below.

Ko Ram Fawdar, aged 20 years, a Hindu

My brother, his wife and children were killed by terrorists on 26 August.

My brother runs a barber shop in Myinlut. On that day, they were travelling from Alethankyaw village with security personnel and when they reached three mile junction, they headed toward Maungtaw on their own.

They were near Myothugyi village when they heard gunshots and ran into Maungtaw District court that was still under construction. Terrorists inside the district court killed them. My brother and his family was killed by the terrorists.

Ko Khukan Dor, aged 29 years, a Hindu

My brother is a goldsmith in Khamaungsate Village. My brother’s name is Pufondor and his wife is Karikha. They had three children. My brother was killed and his wife was abducted, taken to Bangladesh and forced to convert to Islam.

Some men in the village were also killed.

A total of six women, including my brother’s wife and children were abducted. My brother’s wife called from Bangladesh and said my brother was killed by terrorists. They were rescued and helped by a Hindu organisation in Bangladesh.

Daw Raburi, aged 62 years, a Hindu

My nephew’s family was going to Maungtaw from Alethankyaw village and up to three mile junction, they were with others. When they passed three mile junction and arrived near Myothugyi village, they heard gunshots and took refuge in a nearby building still under construction where terrorists already there killed them.

A total of six were killed from my nephew’s family of eight. Two escaped to Buthidaung and they are not here. A Hindu at four mile reported the incident to authorities and when the authorities went to check, they found the corpses.

Help us to stay in peace. We want to return and live where we had lived.

U Milawn, aged 58 years, a Hindu

In this camp, there are a total of 1,842 Hindus from three villages who fled from the danger of terrorists.

There was an incident when terrorists killed 6 Hindus near Myothugyi village on 26 August.

In addition to this, 6 women and 4 children were abducted and taken to Bangladesh. Those who abducted them told them to convert to their religion and to marry them.

As these women were afraid from being killed, they agreed to convert. They were also told to say that the villagers in their villages were not killed by terrorists but instead by Arakanese. They were then stolen to Bangladesh where the women were raped and tortured. These women and children were rescued by Hindus in Bangladesh. They contacted us by phone and told us that they were in a Hindu village.

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar