Desperate Rohingya Flee Myanmar Crackdown in Growing Numbers, U.N. Says
Rohingya fleeing Myanmar have said that members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army, the militant group
that claimed it carried out the attacks on Myanmar government forces, have tried to block men from fleeing villages and demanded they stay and fight against the government.
5, 2017
HONG KONG — At least 123,000 Rohingya have fled from western Myanmar into neighboring Bangladesh since late last
month, the United Nations said on Tuesday, as a military crackdown has destroyed villages and killed hundreds.
With villages still in flames in Rakhine State, the exodus
that began last month is expected to continue, rights groups and United Nations officials said.
Aid agencies say the government has continued to block their access to Rakhine State,
increasing the risk to people of all ethnic groups fleeing the violence.
Last month the government of Myanmar accused aid agencies of colluding with Rohingya militants, a claim
that Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, called unsupported and irresponsible.
Tirana Hassan said that By blocking access for humanitarian organizations, Myanmar’s authorities
have put tens of thousands of people at risk and shown a callous disregard for human life,