Rohingya Muslims have been living in the Buddhist dominated Myanmar for centuries. Nearly all of the Rohingyas live in the western coastal state of Rakhine in Myanmar. While they are not allowed to leave their state without the permission of the government, it is one of the poorest states in the country. They live in ghetto-camps and lack the basic services and opportunities for a better standard of living.
In one of the most controversial revelation, it has been said in the reports of Amnesty International that the Rohingya militants have massacred Hindu villagers during the uprising in Rakhine in Myanmar last year. There have been intricate rivalries among the ethnic groups in the state for a long time.
According to the reports, the killings took place on August 25, 2017, the same day when Rohingya insurgents started a crisis in the state by raiding the police stations. As the military in Myanmar countered the insurgent raid by force, more than 700, 000 Rohingya Muslims had to migrate out of the Buddhist country to nearby states.
The militant group known as Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) denied any allegations of killing during that period of time.
Amnesty conducted interviews with the Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh and Rakhine state that confirmed the mass killings were carried out by ARSA. 99 Hindus were killed, out of which most were children. The children were killed in ‘execution-style’ in the Kha Maung Seik village in northern Maungdaw. Many Hindu survivors told the investigators that they either saw relatives being killed or heard their pleas.
“Our latest investigation on the ground sheds much-needed light on the largely under-reported human rights abuses by ARSA during northern Rakhine state’s unspeakably dark recent history,” said Tirana Hassan, crisis response director at Amnesty International.
One 10-year-old survivor named Raj Kumari told Amnesty, “They slaughtered the men. We were told not to look at them… They had knives. They also had some spades and iron rods.”
Furthermore, the report also mentions that 46 Hindu men, women and children disappeared on the same day.
Even though Rakhine was a home to majorly Muslims and Buddhist before the attack, it comprised a large Hindu population as well. Also, the government denied any abuses and is accusing the right-wing groups of being biased.
As the report went viral, Twitterati responded outrageously to the news. Take a read at some of the tweets:
#Rohingya Muslim militants in Myanmar massacred 99+ Hindus during Jihadi attacks in last August,according to an investigation led by Amnesty International.#Rohingyas are a serious threat to the national security of India & must be repatriated to Myanmar.https://t.co/9OHoIiJ4Ma
— Jagrati Shukla (@JagratiShukla29) May 23, 2018
Stop everything you’re doing and watch this. Just unimaginable pain and horror.
With new footage from inside Rakhine state in #Myanmar that is destined to become evidence in any future crimes against humanity trials. #Rohingya https://t.co/D4xi0mmpGN
— Amarnath Amarasingam (@AmarAmarasingam) May 17, 2018
Now that investigations have revealed that #Rohingya massacred #Hindu men, women and children, will @Javedakhtarjadu have the grace of apologising for his shameful attempt to whitewash the crime? Silence is not an option Mr Akhtar. pic.twitter.com/p9UkfyojE7
— Kanchan Gupta (@KanchanGupta) May 23, 2018
Deport them please. Let them settle in their own country. India’s security, safety is our priority. #Rohingya #IllegalImmigrants https://t.co/TrzI84iQct
— Koena Mitra (@koenamitra) May 22, 2018
The government of Myanmar wants to cover up the systematic killings of its native rohingya people. Spread the word and help put a stop to it. #Rohingya #Myanmar
— Joe Alaskawolf (@joemonroe16) May 14, 2018
Dear @priyankachopra what are ur views on this 2 news ? You visited their camp even after knowing this or you were unaware ?
And Lastly ur advice to hindu women, should they continue convert to islam to save themselves from #Rohingya or should get killed saving their honour ? pic.twitter.com/BuoGfFVgbd— Adv. Dhaval Nakhva (@dhaval8456) May 23, 2018
Lord Buddha would have helped Rohingya : Dalai Lama
Almost 300,000 of Myanmar’s 1.1 million Rohingya population have crossed the border after alleged attack by Rohingya militants#Rohingyahttps://t.co/4mEA93ienT
— परवेज़ M (@VazeMohd) May 23, 2018
In Myanmar #Rohingya massacred Hindus
Killed Hindu children
Gang Raped Hindu women and converted them..
And here in India We gave them shelter passports land to settle in beautiful Kashmir
Our courts open at midnight to give them justice
But @priyankachopra tears 😭 for them pic.twitter.com/RVAq0cBouC— 🏹Sabyasachi 🇮🇳 (@IamSabya_) May 22, 2018
