Three Muslims with ties to the government murdered
By Shoon Naing | Friday, 30 December 2016
Over the past week, three men who have cooperated with the government and security forces in northern Rakhine State have been found dead, according to Deputy Director General of the President’s Office U Zaw Htay. He added that murders, including a decapitation, are believed to have been reprisal attacks.
Security forces have been conducting ongoing sweeps for suspects in connection to a series of lethal attacks on border guard posts starting on October 9. The government has pinned the violence on a little-known Muslim insurgent group.
U Zaw Htay said according to the preliminary investigation, the murders are believed to have been carried out by the “Aqa Mul Mujahidin” militant group.
“All three men who were murdered were actively cooperating with the government to tell the truth,” he told The Myanmar Times on December 28.
Dus Mammad, a volunteer village librarian also known as Runarmyar, was found dead and decapitated on December 22, according to a statement by the Ministry of Information. The man had met with the 13-member media junket permitted to tour the highly restricted “operation zone” earlier this month. He had talked with reporters the day before his body was discovered.
Rawphi, a 28-year-old administrative clerk from Yae Twin Kyun village in Maungdaw township, was found dead on December 25, with stab wounds on his chest and neck, according to MoI. The body of the third victim, named Sirazuhut, was found on December 26. The man was identified as a former leader from Wet Kyein village. According to MoI, he had been missing since December 16.
U Zaw Htay encouraged anyone who has faced threats or feels insecure to ask security personnel for help.
Over 550 suspects have been rounded up and over 100 killed since the security force sweeps started in October, according to the State Counsellor’s Office tallies.
By Shoon Naing | Friday, 30 December 2016
Over the past week, three men who have cooperated with the government and security forces in northern Rakhine State have been found dead, according to Deputy Director General of the President’s Office U Zaw Htay. He added that murders, including a decapitation, are believed to have been reprisal attacks.
Security forces have been conducting ongoing sweeps for suspects in connection to a series of lethal attacks on border guard posts starting on October 9. The government has pinned the violence on a little-known Muslim insurgent group.
U Zaw Htay said according to the preliminary investigation, the murders are believed to have been carried out by the “Aqa Mul Mujahidin” militant group.
“All three men who were murdered were actively cooperating with the government to tell the truth,” he told The Myanmar Times on December 28.
Dus Mammad, a volunteer village librarian also known as Runarmyar, was found dead and decapitated on December 22, according to a statement by the Ministry of Information. The man had met with the 13-member media junket permitted to tour the highly restricted “operation zone” earlier this month. He had talked with reporters the day before his body was discovered.
Rawphi, a 28-year-old administrative clerk from Yae Twin Kyun village in Maungdaw township, was found dead on December 25, with stab wounds on his chest and neck, according to MoI. The body of the third victim, named Sirazuhut, was found on December 26. The man was identified as a former leader from Wet Kyein village. According to MoI, he had been missing since December 16.
U Zaw Htay encouraged anyone who has faced threats or feels insecure to ask security personnel for help.
Over 550 suspects have been rounded up and over 100 killed since the security force sweeps started in October, according to the State Counsellor’s Office tallies.
