London: Muslims in Burma’s western state of Rakhine have been subjected to attacks, arbitrary arrests and were abused in the weeks since ethnic clashes erupted, according to a report.
According to a report by Amnesty International, hundreds of people were detained in the areas where Muslim Rohingya people live after an emergency was declared in Rakhine in June after deadly clashes between Buddhists and Muslims.
Amnesty accused Burmese security forces as well as ethnic Rakhine Buddhist residents of assaults, unlawful killings of Muslims and the destruction of property.
“Most cases have meant targeted attacks on the minority Rohingya population and they were bearing the brunt of most of that communal violence in June and they continue to bear the lion''s share of the violations perpetrated by the state security forces,” Amnesty researcher Benjamin Zawacki said.
According to the BBC, the group also said that authorities allowed Rakhine youth to assault Rohingyas in custody.
The group also alleged that Burmese authorities took part in looting of shops and homes belonging to Rohingya.
The government has, however, dismissed the allegations as ‘groundless and biased’.
Win Myaing, a government spokesman for Rakhine state, said the claims are ‘totally opposite of what is happening on the ground’.
ANI
First Published: Saturday, July 21, 2012, 14:12