Report: Several Anti-Muslim Incidents Signal Worrying Trend in Yangon

15 May 2017, LONDON, UK

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

On 21 April a group of Buddhist ultra-nationalists disrupted a mass prayer by Muslims at an Islamic school in Tharkayta Township
On 28 April, the same groups protested the same Islamic school, as well as another nearby Islamic school, and ultimately pressured police to allow them to seal the schools shut
Those involved in the protests came from both the Yangon area and cities significantly far away
On May 9th a mob of ultra-nationalists involved themselves in a search for Muslims living illegally in Yangon, which turned violent when no illegal residents were found
Two men were said to have been attacked when the mob became upset. One Muslim man had to go to the hospital after he was attacked
The ultra-nationalist groups have previously protested Islamic schools in Tharkayta being used to host prayers
Ultra-nationalists have previously prevented the celebration of the Birthday of the Prophet of Islam by local Muslims
Police issued arrest warrants for 7 nationalists involved in the 9 May incident. Two of them are said to be monks. Two have been arrested

The Humanitarian Crisis Beneath the Conflicts: Report detailing dire humanitarian needs in Burma’s Rakhine and Kachin States

Executive Summary:

Conflict in Burma’s Rakhine and Kachin States have internally displaced nearly 140,000 and 100,000 respectively
The UN’s World Food Program (WFP) in Burma is currently running with a funding gap of USD $37 million
The UN’s Office for Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) is currently facing a funding gap of USD $138.1 million required for their Humanitarian Response Plan for Burma
In 2015 the World Health Organization (WHO) found children in Maungdaw had prevalence of 45.7% of global chronic malnutrition with 21% prevalence of severe chronic malnutrition
In November 2016 the UN estimated that 70,000 people were in immediate need of food and that 30-50% of children with severe acute malnutrition in the area were at imminent risk of dying
The BHRN working in Rakhine State found unregistered IDPs (internally displaced persons) suffering tremendous humanitarian needs throughout the state
In Kyauktaw the BHRN received current information on aid distributed to 10 Rohingya Villages. Most contained villagers not receiving aid despite strong needs, including some villages where the vast majority were without aid
IDPs from Rathetaung Township complained of similar cuts and individuals being denied food rations. In some cases villagers said WFP told them food rations would be reinstated, but this has not yet happened
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Report on Rohingya Refugees in Bangladesh Tell of Horrors in Maungdaw

Summary
• Reports continue to implicate security forces in widespread destruction of Rohingya homes, rape and sexual humiliation, torture and indiscriminate killing of civilians.
• Witnesses claim that recent fighting between militants and security forces was limited to a short period of time and the majority of events reported by the Government as skirmishes were security forces attacking civilian population indiscriminately
• Recent events have displaced at least 30,000 people and created dire need for food and aid for at least 70,000 people in Maungdaw. 15,000 people were believed to have been displaced on November 12th and 13th alone.
• If witness accounts of abuses by security forces are proven true they qualify as Crimes Against Humanity in violation of Rome Statute Article 7(1), The Statute of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) Article 3, and The Law on the Establishment of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC), Article 5.
• Burmese government must immediately allow an international independent body to investigate and allow international and local media to access the crisis area
• Burmese government must allow international aid agencies to access to the crisis areas and allow them to deliver food and aid to vulnerable people and affected people
• International community must immediately consider effective measure to protect the Rohingya civilians in Northern Rakhine State

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A mosque in Kachin state destroyed and security forces stood by

(London, 4th July 2016) – On 1st July 2016, a mosque was demolished and burned down in Lepyin village, Lone Khin, Phar Kant Township, Kachin State. Authorities stood by as a mob carrying Buddhist flags and machetes destroyed the mosque. This incident took place only a few days after the destruction of a mosque, Islamic school and cemetery in Waw Township, Bago Region.

The mosque had been operating in the same location since 13th Nov 1991. In 2014, the local authorities built a bridge near the mosque. The mosque lent its land for the free of charge. When the construction of the bridge was completed, the land was returned to the mosque.

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Anti Muslim violence in Thuyethamain village on 23rd June 2016

An analysis on violent attacks in Thuyethamain
A series of violent attacks against the Muslim community took place in Thuyethamain village, in the Waw Township of Bago Region, on 23 June. A mosque, an Islamic school and a cemetery were destroyed in the incidents. A shop of construction materials owned by Ko Rashid, a Muslim from the village, was also destroyed. The mob acted on the allegation that a warehouse, which is under construction in the village, would be used as an Islamic school.

Brief report on the incident
A group of 11 people from Thuyethamain village sent a complaint letter to the Township Development

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