Rohingya Genocide: Five More Mass Graves Found in Rakhine

In August 2017, five more mass graves have been found in Gu Dar Pyin, a village in Myanmar’s war-torn Rakhine state. It is alleged that Myanmar government forces were behind this genocide. However the number of killings is not estimated.

The evidence points to the fact that a massacre took place at Gu Dar Pyin, Myanmar, in August, despite government denials.

The faces of the men half-buried in the mass graves had been burned away by acid or blasted by bullets. Their bodies were found days after residents said the village of Gu Dar Pyin was overrun by soldiers on 27 August.

Stories of Rohingya victims have sent shockwaves to the world. One of the survivors accuses the government forces of committing the crimes knowingly.

The soldiers carefully planned the attack and deliberately tried to hide what they had done. Some were dumped into rivers, some were buried, some were burnt with acid and turned into skeletons, some were chopped up, some were taken into the paddy fields and dumped there. It was very difficult to determine how many there were. I estimate that at least 400 people were killed. At least 10 to 20 infants were also among the dead.

Mohammad Karim, Rohingya Refugee

The conflict in northern Rakhine state of Myanmar has turned violent since 2012 riots between ethnic Rakhine Buddhists and Rohingya Muslims and by October Muslims of all ethnicities had begun to be targeted. Allegedly a chemical (blue-acid) has been used by Myanmar army on the dead Rohingya Muslims to hide their war crimes leaving behind only bones and decayed organs. Many international organisations have criticised Myanmar including the special UN human rights envoy to Myanmar.

I do not have the details of this particular site, the village, the mass graves. But when I was talking to some of the refugees. a man said to me that he had buried 430 plus human bodies before he escaped his town.

Yanghee Lee, UN Human Right Envoy to Myanmar

The alleged ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims has created a wide spread refugee crisis. It is estimated that in Bangladesh over 650,000 Rohingyas have taken refuge beginning August 2017, escaping attacks by security forces and Buddhist mobs.

Bangladesh has grown weary of hosting Rohingya refugees, who have been spilling across the border for decades to escape violence at home.

(With inputs from AP)

Video Editor: Sandeep Suman