A Mass Grave Has Been Found in Western Myanmar, the Military Says

Date:

Border police stand guard at Tinmay village, Buthidaung township in Myanmar’s northern Rakhine state. — File photo

Unidentified bodies had been found at the cemetery in the village of Inn Din, about 30 miles north of state capital Sittwe, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said in a statement. It did not say how many bodies were uncovered.

MYANMAR‘S army said on Monday that security forces have discovered a mass grave on the edge of a village in Rakhine State, and have launched an investigation.

A violent crackdown by the security forces in response to alleged attacks by militants in the state has caused around 650,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to Bangladesh in recent months.

In a statement posted on the Facebook page of the military’s commander-in-chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the army said the unidentified bodies had been found at the cemetery in the village of Inn Din, about 30 miles north of state capital Sittwe. It did not say how many bodies were uncovered.

“A preliminary investigation was done by the security forces following a report, by someone who asked not to be named, of people being killed and buried,” the army said.

“As a result of the investigations, unidentified bodies were found at the Inn Din village cemetery and a detailed investigation is being conducted to get to the truth,” according to the statement on Facebook, which the army often uses to make announcements.

When contacted by Reuters, military spokesman Colonel Myat Min Oo declined to give further details.

The village is in Maungdaw township, one of the areas worst affected by the violence that has prompted the United Nations’ top human rights official to allege that Myanmar‘s security forces may have committed genocide against the Rohingya.

 Also read: Rohingya Death Toll May Have Climbed Past 13,000

Myanmar‘s armed forces launched what they termed clearance operations in northern Rakhine, where many of the stateless Muslim minority lived, after alleged Rohingya militants attack on August 25.

Rights monitors have accused troops of atrocities, including killings, mass rape and arson during those operations. The United States has said it amounted to “ethnic cleansing”.

The Myanmar military has said its own internal investigation had exonerated security forces of all accusations of atrocities.

Myanmar‘s civilian leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has faced fierce international criticism for failing to do more to protect the Rohingya.

The civilian government, which has no control over the military, has said the army was engaged in legitimate counter-insurgency operations. It has promised to investigate allegations of abuses in Rakhine if it is given evidence. — Reuters

theclarionindia
theclarionindiahttps://clarionindia.net
Clarion India - News, Views and Insights about Indian Muslims, Dalits, Minorities, Women and Other Marginalised and Dispossessed Communities.

Share post:

Popular

More like this
Related

Over 70 Palestinians, Including Aid Seekers, Killed in Israeli Airstrikes across Gaza Strip

Israeli forces kill 27 Palestinians, injure 180 others while...

‘Wherever they Find, they Will Shoot’

Hasina ordered use of lethal weapons on July protesters,...

Congress Welcomes SC Order on Bihar Voter Roll Review, Slams BJP for Disinformation

NEW DELHI — The Congress on Saturday expressed satisfaction...

Israeli Map Reveals Plan to Seize 40% of Gaza and Block Return of 700,000 Palestinians

GAZA --- Quds News Network has obtained a copy...