Rohingya victims of repression again, their houses are being burnt

Fighting between the country's military and the insurgent group Arakan Army (AA) has intensified in Myanmar's western Rakhine state in recent days. Thousands of Rohingya Muslims living in the region are at risk.

Qatar-based media Al Jazeera reported this information in a report on Tuesday.
According to the report, local Rohingyas in Buthiduang town of Rakhine have reported that there have been massive arson incidents across the town in the last few days. The Rohingya accused the Arakan Army of being behind the arson campaign. However, the Arakan Army rejects this allegation and says that these fires were started by the air strikes of the Myanmar Army.

'Until now, people are still on the streets looking for safe places,' Ne San Luin, co-founder of the Free Rohingya Coalition advocacy group, told Al Jazeera. There is no food or medicine. Most of them could not carry personal belongings.
Lewin also said, "All over the city Rohingya houses have been set on fire by AA soldiers."

At least four different sources told Al Jazeera that the Rohingya had been forcibly evicted from their homes.
According to Rohingya sources, thousands of Rohingya refugees have sought security from the central government in Buthiduang since May 17. Where all available places including their houses, government buildings, hospitals and schools have been occupied by the Arakan Army.

Al Jazeera could not independently verify the claims because the state's internet and mobile phone networks have been shut down. Meanwhile, the Arakan Army has denied involvement in the alleged arson campaign. But by the end of the week announced - they had taken control of Buthiduang.

Arakan Army Commander-in-Chief Major General Tuan Marat Naing said in a warning post on his X account last Sunday, 'The attention of R-Bengali (Rohingya Bengali) diaspora activists and groups - we are fighting with great sacrifice against a brutal military regime. doing Please stop selfishness and sabotage, don't drag the struggle in the wrong direction. It is time to abandon your ill-conceived plan to create a separate Islamic safe zone through foreign intervention, it is highly treasonous.'
Incidentally, the term 'Bengali' is considered a slur by Rohingyas.
In a statement on Monday, the United League of Arakan blamed the Myanmar army for the fires, saying the town was destroyed by airstrikes by the army and its allies in Buthiduang.

Rights groups say whoever is responsible for the arson attack is a warning of the danger of another serious wave of ethnic and sectarian violence, which could be worse than 2017.

At the time, more than 750,000 Rohingya fled to neighboring Bangladesh after the country's army launched a series of attacks on their villages after an armed group called the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA) attacked several police posts.
While those who fled live in sprawling refugee camps in Bangladesh, about 600,000 Rohingya still remain in Myanmar, mostly in Rakhine state and under strict restrictions.
According to Fortify Rights, a human rights organization that works closely with the Rohingya in Bangladesh and Rakhine, the situation in a state (Rakhine) with a long history of sectarian violence is extremely tense.

"It is extremely difficult to verify who is responsible for the attacks, the reports of the last two nights are disappointing," said Fortify Rights.
Yanghee Lee, a former UN special rapporteur on Myanmar and founder of SAC-M, told Al Jazeera that there are credible reports that the Arakan Army is attacking the Rohingya in Buthiduang. He thinks these attacks may increase.

Arakan Army captured several cities of the state.