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Myanmar: What sparked latest violence in Rakhine? Myanmar: What sparked latest violence in Rakhine?
(8 days later)
A fresh outbreak of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state has caused tens of thousands of Rohingya civilians to flee towards Bangladesh. A fresh outbreak of violence in Myanmar's Rakhine state has caused hundreds of thousands of Rohingya civilians to flee to Bangladesh.
The exodus began in the last week of August after Rohingya militants attacked police posts, killing 12 members of the security forces. Dozens of militants are reported to have been killed in both those and subsequent clashes. The exodus began on 25 August after Rohingya militants attacked police posts, killing 12 members of the security forces.
When similar attacks on police posts took place last year, Myanmar's military launched a crackdown on the Rohingya that led to claims of severe human rights abuses. Those attacks led to a security crackdown. Myanmar's military says it is fighting insurgents but those who have fled say troops and Rakhine Buddhists are conducting a brutal campaign to drive them out.
As people surge towards the border, the United Nations has urged Myanmar's authorities to protect all civilians "without discrimination". The Rohingya - a stateless mostly Muslim minority group - have faced years of persecution in Myanmar. Deep-seated tensions between them and the majority Buddhist population in Rakhine have led to deadly communal violence in the past.
The Muslim Rohingya have faced years of persecution in Myanmar. Deep-seated tensions between them and the majority Buddhist population in Rakhine have led to deadly communal violence in the past.
When did the latest violence start?When did the latest violence start?
On 25 August Rohingya insurgents armed with knives and home-made bombs attacked more than 30 police posts in northern Rakhine, the government said.On 25 August Rohingya insurgents armed with knives and home-made bombs attacked more than 30 police posts in northern Rakhine, the government said.
Clashes are reported to have continued ever since, displacing civilians from both communities. There are also reports of civilian deaths. Violence is reported to have continued ever since, forcing huge numbers of Rohingya civilians over the border into Bangladesh.
The Burmese military puts the number of deaths at 400, and says almost all of those killed were militants. They say that Burmese troops, backed by local Buddhist mobs, are burning their villages and attacking and killing civilians. Some of those who have arrived in Bangladesh have bullet wounds.
Many are sceptical of that claim but journalists' access to Rakhine state is severely restricted, making it hard to confirm details on the ground. Observers on the ground and satellite images confirm many razed Muslim villages across northern Rakhine state.
Human Rights Watch says satellite data shows widespread fires in at least 10 areas, and journalists have reported seeing blazes from across the Bangladesh border. The Myanmar military accuses the militants and the Rohingyas of burning their own homes. But a BBC reporter saw one burning that appeared to contradict the official narrative.
The government says militants started the fires, while fleeing Rohingya say they were started by troops and Buddhist mobs carrying out raids in the wake of the militant attacks. It is not clear how many people have died. The military gave a toll of 400 on 1 September and said most of those were militants. But a UN human rights official said a week later that she thought the number could be over 1,000. Verifying the situation on the ground is difficult because access is restricted.
What is the situation at the border?What is the situation at the border?
The number of Rohingya seeking safety in Bangladesh had been steadily rising since the 25 August attacks, and turned into a flood by early September. The number of Rohingya seeking safety in Bangladesh had been steadily rising since 25 August, and turned into a flood by early September.
The UN now says 87,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh in the past 10 days as their villages burn - more than did so over the whole of the last year. The UN now says more than 313,000 Rohingyas have fled to Bangladesh since the attacks.
Most are women, children and the elderly, and many have arrived with injuries sustained in the crackdown. Most are women, children and the elderly, and many have arrived with injuries they say were sustained in the crackdown. Several dozen are reported to have drowned trying to cross the Naf River into Bangladesh.
There have also been many reports of people being prevented from crossing the border, despite UN pleas for Bangladesh to let them in. The Bangladesh authorities are now doing so. Early on there were reports of people being turned back at the border but that no longer seems to be the case. Aid agencies and the UN are now working to provide food, water and shelter for the influx.
But some 20,000 Rohingya are thought to be stuck along the Naf river, which forms the border. Aid agencies say they are at risk from drowning - as happened with a group of 20 who perished trying to make the crossing last week - as well as disease and venomous snakes. Bangladesh is already home to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who have fled previous outbreaks of violence in Myanmar. But existing refugee camps are now full, so the new arrivals are sleeping in any space they can find.
Bangladesh is already home to hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees who have fled previous outbreaks of violence in Myanmar. Inside Myanmar, there have also been reports of Rakhine Buddhists moving south to escape the violence.
Inside Myanmar, there are also reports of Rakhine Buddhists moving south to escape the violence.
Who are the militants?Who are the militants?
A group called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) says it carried out the 25 August attacks. The group first emerged in October 2016, when it carried out similar assaults on police posts, killing nine police officers.A group called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (Arsa) says it carried out the 25 August attacks. The group first emerged in October 2016, when it carried out similar assaults on police posts, killing nine police officers.
It says its main aim is to protect the Rohingya Muslim minority from state repression in Myanmar.It says its main aim is to protect the Rohingya Muslim minority from state repression in Myanmar.
The government says Arsa is a terrorist group whose leaders have been trained abroad. Its leader is Ata Ullah, a Rohingya born in Pakistan who was raised in Saudi Arabia, according to the International Crisis Group.The government says Arsa is a terrorist group whose leaders have been trained abroad. Its leader is Ata Ullah, a Rohingya born in Pakistan who was raised in Saudi Arabia, according to the International Crisis Group.
But a spokesman for the group told Asia Times that it had no links to jihadi groups and that its members were young Rohingya men angered by events since communal violence in 2012. But a spokesman for the group told Asia Times that it had no links to jihadist groups and that its members were young Rohingya men angered by events since communal violence in 2012.
What are the Rohingyas' grievances?What are the Rohingyas' grievances?
Myanmar's government claims the Rohingya are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship, even though many say they have been there for generations. Bangladesh also denies they are its citizens.Myanmar's government claims the Rohingya are illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and denies them citizenship, even though many say they have been there for generations. Bangladesh also denies they are its citizens.
Many are living in temporary camps after being forced from their villages by the wave of communal violence that swept Rakhine in 2012. They live in one of Myanmar's poorest states, and their movements and access to employment are severely restricted.Many are living in temporary camps after being forced from their villages by the wave of communal violence that swept Rakhine in 2012. They live in one of Myanmar's poorest states, and their movements and access to employment are severely restricted.
In the wake of the militant attacks of October 2016, many Rohingya accused the security forces of rape, killings, burning villages and torture during the military crackdown that followed. About 80,000 had fled Myanmar for Bangladesh by the time of the 25 August attacks - but that figure has now more than doubled. After the first attacks by Arsa in October 2016, many Rohingya accused the security forces of rape, killings, burning villages and torture during a subsequent crackdown. The UN is now carrying out a formal investigation, although the military denies wrongdoing.
The UN human rights body, in a report, said "devastating cruelty" had taken place. The UN is now carrying out a formal investigation, although the military denies wrongdoing. The UN human rights chief says rights violations in Rakhine have almost certainly contributed to the growth of Rohingya extremism.
Last week UN human rights chief Zeid Ra'ad Al Hussein said the latest violence could have been prevented. Is Myanmar facing a backlash?
"Decades of persistent and systematic human rights violations, including the very violent security responses to the attacks since October 2016, have almost certainly contributed to the nurturing of violent extremism," he said. Myanmar's de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi is facing mounting international criticism over her failure to protect the Rohingya.
And the UN's special rapporteur on human rights in Myanmar, Yanghee Lee, has criticised the country's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, saying she should intervene on behalf of the Rohingyas. Fellow Nobel Peace laureates - including Pakistani schoolgirl Malala Yousafzai, the Dalai Lama and South Africa's anti-apartheid campaigner Archbishop Desmond Tutu - have called on her to do more to end the violence.
"That's what we would expect from any government, to protect everybody within their own jurisdiction. She is caught between a rock and a hot spot, but I think it's time for her to come out of that spot now," Ms Lee told the BBC on Monday. Early on Ms Suu Kyi - who faces strong anti-Rohingya sentiment in Myanmar - claimed the crisis was being distorted by a "huge iceberg of misinformation".
Is there a regional backlash? She subsequently said that Myanmar had "to take care of everybody who is in our country, whether or not they are our citizens", and said Myanmar would "try our best" despite inadequate resources.
Muslim nations in South East Asia and further afield are voicing concern over the plight of the Rohingya. The plight of the Rohingya has sparked protests in many Muslim nations, including Indonesia, Pakistan and Malaysia.
There have been protests in Indonesia, and the country's foreign minister met Burmese leaders to urge them to alleviate the crisis.
In Malaysia, which is home to tens of thousands of Rohingya refugees, Prime Minister Najib Razak hit out at the "dire situation" facing the Rohingya.
The Maldives says it is severing all economic ties with Myanmar until it stops violating the Rohingyas' human rights, while Pakistan's foreign ministry said it was "deeply concerned over reports of growing number of deaths and forced displacement of Rohingya Muslims".
In Central Asia's Kyrgyzstan, a football international with Myanmar has been cancelled, apparently because of a plan by some social media users to protest ahead of the Asian Cup qualifier.