Staff Reporter :
New analysis of satellite image from Myanmar’s Rakhine State shows the near total destruction of 214 villages, Human Rights Watch (HRW) on Tuesday said.
“These images provide shocking evidence of massive destruction in an apparent attempt by Burmese security forces to prevent the Rohingya from returning to their villages,” said Phil Robertson, Deputy Asia Director at HRW
The detailed satellite images, made possible due to a clearing of monsoon cloud on September 16, 2017, revealed destruction from burning much greater than previously known.
They show the destruction of ten of thousands of homes across Maungdaw and Rathedaung Townships, part of the Burmese security forces’ campaign of ethnic cleansing that has forced over 400,000 Rohingya Muslims to flee to neighboring Bangladesh.
New maps of the damage show near total destruction of the 214 villages seen in satellite imagery analyzed by HRW, with more than 90 percent of the structures in each village damaged.
The images corroborate accounts gathered by Human Right Watch from refugees who have described arson, killing, and looting by the Burmese military, police, and ethnic Rakhine mobs.
“World leaders meeting in the UN should act to end this mounting crisis and show Burma’s military leaders they will pay a price for such atrocities,” Phil Robertson said.
World leaders meeting in the United Nations should urgently adopt a General Assembly resolution condemning the Myanmar military’s ethnic cleansing, while the UN Security Council should impose targeted sanctions and an arms embargo.
Ethnic Rohingya Muslims fleeing security forces in Myanmar’s Rakhine State have described killings, shelling, and arson in their villages that have all the hallmarks of a campaign of “ethnic cleansing.”
“While Aung San Suu Kyi may not have the power or authority to rein in the Myanmar military, she can speak out and also ensure that the UN Fact-Finding Mission is able to enter Burma,” Robertson said.
“Concerned governments should not wait for her to act. They should impose targeted sanctions on those most responsible for the terrible atrocities taking place.”
