Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Myanmar army investigates mass grave discovered in Rakhine state

by

YANGON Dec 19, 2017 - 12:00 am GMT+3
This file photo shows the remains of burnt villages near Maungdaw in Northern Rakhine State (AFP File Photo)
This file photo shows the remains of burnt villages near Maungdaw in Northern Rakhine State (AFP File Photo)
by Dec 19, 2017 12:00 am

Myanmar's army says it is investigating a mass grave found in a village in northern Rakhine state, a region where the U.N. has accused troops of committing atrocities against Rohingya Muslims.

Northern Rakhine has been nearly emptied of its Muslim population since late August, when an army crackdown on Rohingya rebels sent more than 655,000 refugees fleeing across the border to Bangladesh.

The U.N., U.S. and rights groups have accused Myanmar of carrying out a systematic ethnic cleansing campaign against the stateless Muslim minority, with Doctors Without Borders estimating that at least 6,700 Rohingya were killed in the first month of violence.

On Tuesday Human Rights Watch released a report detailing the army's "systematic killings and rape" of hundreds of Rohingya in Tula Toli village in northern Rakhine on Aug. 30, adding new testimony to an event that has been documented by journalists and rights groups based on accounts from refugees.

But Myanmar's army has denied all allegations of abuse -- while severely curtailing access to the conflict zone in northern Rakhine.

A statement posted on the army chief's Facebook page late Monday said a tipoff led officers to "unidentified dead bodies found at a cemetery in Inn Dinn village," a community in Rakhine's Maungdaw township -- the epicenter of the violence.

It did not specify how many corpses were found or what community they belong to.

"Strong legal action will be taken if any member of security forces are involved," the statement added.

Officials could not be reached for comment.

The military has vehemently defended its crackdown as a targeted effort to flush out Rohingya militants who attacked police posts on Aug. 25, killing around a dozen officials.

Tens of thousands of ethnic Rakhine Buddhists, Hindus and other minorities were internally displaced by the violence, though many have since returned home.

On Monday U.N. rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein told AFP that the army crackdown could possibly amount to "genocide" of the Rohingya.

"For us, it was clear... that these operations were organized and planned," he said in an interview.

"You couldn't exclude the possibility of acts of genocide.... You cannot rule it out as having taken place or taking place."

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Dec 19, 2017 2:36 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    homepage
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    In photos: Turkey's Black Sea region hit by heavy floods
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021