Rakhine Gov't denies online reports of Bengalis killed in Myanmar
Published on Saturday, 18 January 2014 22:51
Rakhine State Government denied reports of eight Bengalis killed by police in a clash occurred recently in Maungdaw, a border town in the state.
"Recent reports by online media including ARU, about Myanmar's army assisted by Rakhine villagers killing Bengalis and raping Bengali women in Maungdaw, were totally wrong. The actual case is that authorities are investigating to find out the missing policeman who was supposed to be killed in a Bengali village during a night patrol there on January 13," said Win Myaing, spokesman from Rakhine State Government's information committee.
The whereabout of the police sergeant who went missing after an attack by Bengalis during a night patrol, is not known. Only bloody pieces of his uniform found near the Gawduthara creek was found during a police search. For the case, 84 Bengalis from the Duchiratan village where the attack was occurred are now under police investigation, with those running away under search.
The police uniform and a belt and bloodied pieces of clothes belonging to the officer was found near a mosque in the village, and authorities are still in search of those who committed the crime, said Win Myaing, adding that only the Bengalis are attacking government staff and Rakhine ethnics in the state.
The state-owned TV clarified reports made by AP news agency and Irrawaddy online news agency, saying Bengali women and children were brutally attacked with swords, on January 17.
It contacted the police chief in charge of the Maungdaw about the reports.
The police chief denied the claims by saying, "The reports are completely wrong. Our police force there is only making necessary investigation about the missing police sergeant namely Aung Kya Thein. Some of the suspects who took part in the crime are now identified,"
On January 13, a group of five policemen led by the police sergeant, with support by village elders was making a regular patrol in the area, reaching the Bengali village at around 9:30 pm. When they arrived near the village school, several Bengali villagers bawled in their language at them. When the police replied, "We're just patrolling. Take it easy", a group of Bengalis approached to surround them to attack, shouting "Knife them!"
As the police tried to retreat from the area as they were heavily outnumbered by the Bengalis, the police sergeant was left behind, trapped in the village along with his M22 rifle. He was missing since then. When informed, an army force with police forces and other authorities reached the village at around 2am, requesting to turn the sergeant over, but in vain.
In a similar case that happened in Sittwe Township on December 26 last year, Bengalis attacked two policemen, killing one and leaving other severely injured.
In the early morning of January 16, a fire reportedly broke out in a Bengali refugee camp in Pauktaw Township.
http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/rakhine-govt-denies-online-reports-of-bengalis-killed-in-myanmar/
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