YANGON: Myanmar government forces found bodies of 28 Hindu villagers who authorities suspect were killed by Muslim insurgents. The Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army has denied killing the Hindus, saying it refrained from attacking civilians. The latest bout of violence in western Myanmar's Rakhine state began on August 25 when ARSA militants attacked about 30 police posts and an army camp, killing 12 people.
Myanmar government said over 400 people have been killed, most of them insurgents. It continues to reject accusations of ethnic cleansing, saying it is fighting terrorists. Members of the small Hindu minority appear to have been caught in between the whole charade, suffering from both sides. While some of them have fled to Bangladesh, complaining of violence against them by soldiers or Buddhist vigilantes, others complain of being attacked by the insurgents on suspicion of being government spies.
Aung San Suu Kyi's government said a search was mounted near Ye Baw Kya village in the north of Rakhine state, after refugees in Bangladesh contacted a Hindu community leader in the country. They said about 300 ARSA militants had marched about 100 people out of the village and killed them, on August 25. Of those who died, 20 were female and eight were male children. “They forced eight female villagers to convert to the Islamic religion and took them to Bangladesh,” the government said. Meanwhile, an ARSA spokesman said he believed Buddhist nationalists trying to separate Hindus and Muslims were behind the “lies” that ARSA militants had killed the villagers. He said, “ARSA has internationally pledged not to target civilians and that remains unchanged no matter what.”
The United States and the United Nations have called for an end to the violence, unfettered humanitarian access to the conflict zone and for the right of those who have fled to go home safely. Suu Kyi currently faces international criticism for not speaking out more forcefully against the violence or doing more to rein in security forces over which she has minimal power.
