BANGKOK: Human Rights Watch urged Myanmar Saturday to protect Rohingya Muslims, warning unrest that has left dozens dead and thousands displaced is "likely to get worse" unless the root causes are addressed.
Fresh communal fighting between Buddhists and Muslims in Rakhine state this week, which has sent thousands fleeing to already overcrowded camps, has disproportionately targeted stateless Rohingya communities, it said in a statement.
The group called on Myanmar to urgently provide security for the Rohingya, which it said were under "vicious attack", and to ensure protection and aid were given to the affected Muslim and Buddhist communities in the region.
"Unless the authorities also start addressing the root causes of the violence, it is only likely to get worse," said Phil Robertson, HRW deputy Asia director.
More than 150 people, from both communities, have been killed in the state since violence first sparked in June, according to the government which has imposed emergency rule in the face of continued tension in the region.
HRW said it had obtained satellite images showing "extensive destruction of homes and other property in a predominantly Rohingya area" of Kyaukpyu -- where a major pipeline to transport gas to China begins.
The official death toll from the new fighting, which began on October 21, was given as 67 in state media on Saturday. The figure was revised from a number of more than 100 given by a Rahkine state spokesman on Friday, who later said there had been a "mistake in calculating".
HRW "fears the death toll is far higher based on allegations from witnesses fleeing scenes of carnage and the government's well-documented history of underestimating figures that might lead to criticism of the state," the group said.
Myanmar's 800,000 Rohingya are seen as illegal immigrants from neighbouring Bangladesh by the government and many Burmese.
The Rohingya, speaking a Bengali dialect similar to one in neighbouring Bangladesh, have long been considered by the United Nations as one of the most persecuted minorities on the planet.
The latest violence demonstrates "how urgent it is that the authorities intervene to protect everyone, and break the cycle of discrimination and violence", said Isabelle Arradon, Amnesty International's Asia-Pacific deputy director.
COMMENTS (15)
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Please immigrate to pakistan ASAP .
Iam coming for you mr myanmar
@mh86: I think Zaid Hamid was being sarcastic
@Zaid Hamid: I agree with you brother. I think it's all a CIA/RAW/Mossad conspiracy to malign the muslim world, especially our jihadi brothers.
Just condemning is not enough pakistan should take these refugees so that they are not killed. Pakistanis please respond.
I request to the all Rohingyas in the EU, USA, UK, Australia, Canada and in other countries do demonstration as soon as possible with all other NGOs, Human right groups around you.The greatest demonstration should be held for national security and defense policy. Recently, the Buddhist Bengali Mogh ( Rakhine ) groups of RNDP and ALP have become the greatest terrorist group in Arakan State whose are threatning and doing all kind of crimes against Rohingya community by well planning and getting all kind of supports from Burmese Criminal regime, Hlun Tin, Police Force and other authorities etc. Arakan State has become a killing field against Rohingya community especially war against Islam and Muslims like a Bosnia now adays. This war has started by the terrorist Buddhist groups on their injustice ways, inhuman ways, disinformation ways and their wrong ideological ways. Where are those democratic forces or countires ?
Why you have closed your eyes on those terrorist Buddhist facist , racist and neo Nazis ? Where is justice ? Why you are going to do Business ties with those criminals whose are killing us in that region by misusing the power bcz of our ideology, race and faith? Please ensure youself before doing any kind of business there otherwise you will lose everything there. You should bring them on the International Criminal Court for Justice as soon as possible. M.Hussain Azmi Frankfurt-Germany
@Dwatt: Rakhine Buddhist rebels? :-). Nice try.
Rakhine Buddhist rebels and Burmese government forces are killing every ethnic Rohingya and therefore UN must help Stop the killings by immediate efforts of military action rather than lips services as soon as possible.
it's time for the Security Council to approve the deployment of a military force in Arakan State of Burma to help STOP the killings of ethnic minority Rohingyas and recapture parts of the country controlled by Rakhine Buddhist rebels. International governments must be working on a text calling for a military and political response to the crisis. The UN and international governments have to act in Arakan State of Burma because the region is becoming a hub for Rakhine Buddhist terrorist groups and it's threatening not only in Arakan State of Burma but also the region and beyond the region the world, we have to act as quickly as possible. We know that we have to act in political and military terms rather than lips service and BBCING.
Thanks!
@Zaid Hamid: There is no easier way to lie than citing a confidential source.
where are the taliban and al kidda when you need them
the world need to reconstruct its morality and human rights criteria’s instead of producing war instrument we must be concern about prejudice in every part of our planet. I myself condemn these vicious actions in every country also in Myanmar and I suggest that the Muslim country especially Arab country must use their potential and power to cease these actions
‘More than 150 people, from both communities, have been killed in the state since violence first sparked in June,’
This is a blatant lie from Western world. According to our confidential sources in Myanmar, more than 1.5 millions people have been killed and all of them were Muslims.
Regarding the ration whch is provided by Turkey government in order to provide both comunities,65% of those rations goes to Rakhine comunity but 99% of people are musilims who become homeless and dosplaced.Some Rakhine tell on BBC andVOA something which is not accurate .we rohingya people are have nothing to show by recording like rakhine people do because we are not let to go out around.The whole village are surrounded by milatary and security.
'More than 150 people, from both communities, have been killed in the state since violence first sparked in June,'
So it's not that one sided.