DID BENGALI MUSLIMS (‘ROHINGYA’)

BURN THEIR OWN HOMES AND VILLAGES?

YES - MANY CASES - SOLID EVIDENCE
Many Buddhist, Hindu, and Ethnic Minority Victims and Eyewitnesses,

as well as, Many Truthful Muslims Who Will Verify This

By Rick Heizman, July 1, 2021

After the massive multiple simultaneous attacks on August 25, 2017, upon all non-Muslim
peoples in northern Rakhine State, by the Bengali Muslims (‘Rohingya’) the manipulation of
facts and truth were well underway. Many of the non-Muslim victims stated that the Bengali
Muslims had torched their own homes and villages (as well as non-Muslim villages) as they fled
to Bangladesh. However, the virtue signaling, woke, social justice warriors, the lame and
manipulated media, and politicians (including the then US ambassador in Myanmar - Scot
Marciel) were adamant that, ‘PEOPLE DON’T BURN THEIR OWN HOMES!’ That statement is,
actually correct - for most people, be they Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Jewish, etc. HOWEVER,
Islam is a very different faith and the Muslim mind is quite often impossible to fathom (just think
about suicide bombing, honor killing, Sharia law, Koranic intolerance….). The same
supremacist and intolerant Muslim mind that can endorse blowing up ones own body would
have no trouble burning their own home - it is all in the name of Allah, and Allah will provide.

I have compiled 40 statements from 3 sources here:

1. 125 interviews that I conducted in the restricted zones of Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and
Rathedaung on 3 separate trips, on the ground, in all corners of the land, for a total of 3
weeks. Some of the interviews were done just one month after the attacks, and some
were done in 2018.

2. 50 Prisoner Statements of captured Bengali Muslim ARSA terrorist group members or

affiliates that I obtained, and had translated. The captured prisoners were all captured
within one month, or less, of the big attacks, and their statements where taken within a
few days of their capture.

3. 100s of interviews conducted by the Independent Commission of Enquiry (ICOE). This is

the largest collection of verified interviews, which were conducted in 2019.

In ALL cases the person being interviewed is NOT asked to comment on the the arson
charges, or anything specifically. The interviewees simply spoke about their experience. If
they observed the setting of fires they often would mention those details, and if they didn’t
observe the setting of fires they didn’t mention anything about that.

More than half of the prisoners gave details of being ordered by the Mawlawis and / or the
ARSA leaders to set their homes and villages on fire and flee to Bangladesh. They talk about
explicate orders that if they did not flee to Bangladesh and if they did not burn their homes
and villages that they would be treated as Buddhists - meaning that their heads would be cut
off in accordance with Islamic Law.

Note the insidious role of the Mawlawis (Imams) as revealed by the prisoner statements.

1
EXCERPTS FROM INTERVIEWS BY RICK HEIZMAN
Maung Than Hlaing - from Koe Tan Kauk Village, Rathedaung Township,
Interviewed in Koe Tan Kauk, October 2018
I discovered a basket of handmade bombs or landmines that had been left
behind by the fleeing Muslims. All the bombs were connected with batteries
as triggers. Then I could see that along the pathways there were many
landmines laid to keep outsiders out, and/or, to guard the village secrets. We
Rakhine Buddhists don’t kill Bengali Muslims. After their attacks failed they
burned their own homes and fled to Bangladesh.

U Aung Thein Hla - from Chut Pyin Village, Rathedaung Township,

Interviewed in Zay Di Pyin, October 2018
On Aug 25, 2017, we saw 10 Bengali ARSA terrorists with guns and
backpacks, crossing just near the Chin ethnic village and they went into the
Chut Pyin Bengali village. Again on Aug 28, 2017, a group of 5 ARSA
terrorists with guns and backpacks also was seen entering Chut Pyin Bengali
village. The ARSA terrorists blew up some bombs and then a gun battle
broke out. The Bengali militants were pushed back and they started torching their
villages and fleeing for Bangladesh.

Kyaw Kyaw Naing / Shu Bun - Hindu Community Leader from Maungdaw town,
Interviewed at Hindu Refugee camp in Sittwe, Sep 2017 and Maungdaw Oct 2018
We have lost everything, including houses, cows and all we possess. All we
have is our lives and one set of clothes. The Bengalis have burned our
houses and some of their own houses too. We saw this with our own
eyes. When we saw the Muslim village houses burning there were no military
or police forces around there yet - none. It was the next day that the military
arrived. [An interesting observation] - So, it can't be said that the military
burned the Muslim houses. We also knew that it is impossible to go to the
Muslims villages if you are not Muslim. It would be very dangerous for any
non-Muslim to even get close to one of their villages. We know that they burned their own
village houses.

Thein Tun - from Inn Din Village, southern Maungdaw Township,

Interviewed in Inn Din, October, 2018
Many many agitated Bengalis yelling loudly came to the perimeter of our
Rakhine Inn Din Village. All the Rakhine people ran quickly, in fear, to the
monastery. The Bengalis were yelling things like "Bagei!" which means tiger.
The Bengalis were implying, "We are tigers, and you Rakhine are cows - we
will eat you!” We could see Bengalis starting to burn their own homes -
we watched from the monastery. We were lucky that the wind was preventing
the fires from spreading to the Rakhine part of the village, toward the west.

2
Ma Shwe Sein - from Inn Din Village, southern Maungdaw Township,
Interviewed in Inn Din, October, 2018
Me and the other teachers were eating chicken curry when mobs of Bengalis
on 3 sides of our village gathered shouting, “Maru! Maru!” (Kill! Kill!). So, we
all just dropped our plates and ran as fast as we could towards the Buddhist
monastery, with Bengalis rushing into the village yelling so loudly. While we
sheltered in the monastery the Bengalis continued shouting. Later in the
day they started to burn their homes, we saw that happening. And, the
wind was blowing towards the Bengali homes, not towards our Buddhist
homes - we were very very lucky.

Maung Kan Gri - from Kyauk Pan Du Village, southern Maungdaw Township,
Interviewed in Kyauk Pan Du, October, 2018
At the time of the attack I was working in the rice fields. The police outposts
and our villages were surrounded by militants. A police outpost was on fire. I
could see it from the rice field, and I remember seeing one policeman
running out of there. At 5 PM in the evening the military arrived. The
Bengalis retreated back to their villages - and started to burn their own
homes. After they set their houses ablaze they fled towards Bangladesh.

U Hla Maung - ethnic Thet, from Tet Kyine Nya Village, northern Maungdaw Tsp
Interviewed in refugee camp in Sittwe, Sept 2017
I am old, and my legs are bad, but I just had to run in pain or be slaughtered.
As we were running from the Bengalis two Hindu villagers and one Diagnet
villager were caught and killed. The Bengalis were burning and destroying
all of our homes. The Bengalis were also burning their own village
homes.

________________________________________________

EXCERPTS FROM THE STATEMENTS OF CAPTURED MILITANTS

Here we have captured Bengali militants describing exactly who ordered them to torch their
homes and villages, and how they did it.

(when reading these, Mawlawi is the Bengali term for Imam - head of the mosque)

Anowha Faisal, 22, Meekyaung Tuk Village, Mingalar Gyi Tract, Maungdaw Tsp

We should be prepared for our Jihad operation to start when the militants
from Bangladesh arrived with guns, land mines, and grenades. After our
attack failed, Mawlawi Zubai and Mawlawi Gawfaur told us to set fire to
our houses and run away. Some set fires and ran away. My house was
surrounded by the police force together with the Mingalar Gyi village
administrator Maung Maung Tin (Bengali Muslim) and I was arrested at about
3:00 PM on 31/8/2017, after returning from the mosque.

3
Anna War, 42, Rwar That Kay Village, Maungdaw Township

Every time we went to the mosque, Mawlawi Haface Gira Man, told us
“Muslim people must be united, and gather all kinds of weapons, and
whenever you have a chance, you all have the opportunity to attack all the
border guards, and police outposts, and kill everyone who is non-Muslim
and set fire to whole villages.” On August 28, 2017, at 11:00 AM, Mawlawi
Haface Gira Man, called a meeting with all the men in the village, and he said
“Tonight we will go set fire to Hindu villages in Myoma east blocks”. We were led by
Mawlawi Haface Gira Man, and we all went to set the Hindu villages on fire. When we got
there in the darkness Mawlawi Haface Gira Man started to light up the gasoline bombs and
we threw them into the Hindu houses. After a few houses were raging with flames, and
the fire continued house to house, we all ran back to our village. I do not know how many
houses were burned down by us that night.

Adu Mullah, 22, Myo Thu Gyi Ywa Haung, Maungdaw Township
When the villagers came to the mosque to pray, they said that our Islamic
people have to attack and kill the Buddhists in order to make Rathedaung,
Buthidaung and Maungdaw region an Islamic State. So, I joined the attack
on the Maungdaw Entrance Gate Police Outpost in the early morning of
25/8/2017. After attacking the outpost, Mawlawi Baja who had trained with
ARSA, told us to burn the houses of the Bengali villages if the security
forces came to us. At 6:00 on 29/8/2017, I took some petrol and set fire to
the Bengali houses of Ywa Thit Kay village. I also saw 7 other Bengalis
burning some houses and running away then I went back to my house. On 1/9/2017, Nru
Armin, from our village, asked me to search for petrol to use to burn more of our Bengali
village homes. I went through Maung Ni village to Fizi Village looking for gasoline. At 6:30,
after I arrived at Fizi village, I was arrested on the road.

Sayed Dulla, 20, Bellami Hamlet, Pauk Pin Yin Village, Rathedaung Township
On 23/8/2017, in the mosque, Mawlawi Esoup and Rawfis said that ARSA
would launch attacks soon to occupy Maungdaw, Buthidaung, and
Rathedaung Townships, and to make it an Islamic State. They told us that all
Bengalis had to join the attacks and that we must be ready. After attacking
the Chut Pyin police outpost, on the evening of 27/8/2017, the Muslim
villagers ran away as ARSA burned the houses and so we also fled from
our village around 5:00 AM on 28/8/2017. Our Muslim villagers from Nilin
Baw and Auk Nan Ya village did the same.

Hamid Dullah, 22, Mingalar Gyi, Maungdaw Township

After attacking the police outpost and failing to seize the weaponry, Mawlawi
Hafis Muzaba ordered us to set fire to our houses and run to Bangladesh.
Some of our villagers started the fires and most fled the village. But, me and
some others stayed. About 6 days later, when I was at home on 31/8/2017,
around 2:50 PM, I was arrested by police and our village administrator.

4
Sway York Dusaung, 64, Padakar New Village, Maungdaw Township

It was learnt that according to Mawlawi Hasaung, our villagers, together with
the Bengalis living in other villages nearby would be led by RSO (Rohingya
Solidarity Organization) and ARSA (Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army) leaders
and we would attack the police outposts on the early pre-dawn morning of
25/8/2017. Later in the morning, after the attack, Mawlawi Hasaung told us
to set fire to all of our houses in the villages and flee to Bangladesh.
While fleeing, we would attack any security police forces which might be
found on the way to Bangladesh. So, we set fires to our homes and fled. I also
ran with the other villagers.

Rawbi Ramauk, 54, Padakar Rowthik, Maungdaw Township

The Mawlawis told us that we would attack the police outposts and that
there were already secret trainings sessions in some villages led by the RSO
and ARSA militants coming from their secret camps in Bangladesh. Then,
after the attacks, we were told by the Mawlawis to set fire to our own
houses and go to Bangladesh, and attack any security police members as
we were fleeing to Bangladesh. After receiving these messages from the
Mawlawis, Bengalis set their houses and villages on fire and ran away. That’s the way that
I ran away together with my wife, Sara Khatu, my son, Adu Sawbi and other Bengalis.

Eili Yard, 24, Kyaung Daung Middle Village, Buthidaung Township

Mawlawis Saw Ling and Abu Saw Yord always told us, “One of these days
the cities and townships of Buthidaung, Maungdaw, and Rathedaung must
be an Islamic controlled State, so we all will have to attack any non-Muslims.
One day these members of RSO and ARSA will be leading us to attack all the
police outposts, and seize all the weapons to wage Jihad against all the non-
Muslims at the same time in these three townships.” Two days later, after our
attack failed, Mawlawis Saw Ling and Abu Saw Yord told us to set our
own homes and villages on fire, and run away to Bangladesh. And, they said, “If you see
any police or other security forces on the way attack them in any way that you can.”

Ha Main Tu Soung, 67, Kyi Gan Pyin Village, Maungdaw Township

Mawlawi Jo Ko Lee Yar always told us, “Unify all Muslims to attack the non-
Muslims. Collect all kinds of weapons - knives, swords, heavy sticks, etc. -
and when the time comes, one day, we will do Jihad in Rakhine State,
attacking all police stations, and setting fire to all of their houses. So, all of
you - men, women, and children - have to participate”. The next day our
village leader and and the Mawlawis told us to set our homes on fire, and
to go hide in the mountains in some other villages. Some villagers did set
fire to their own houses and fled, but our family did not do that and we
stayed home, and that is the reason that I got arrested on the same morning at 7:30, along
with my two sons Saw Lee Mu Lar and Muhammad Zaw Lee.

5
Hu Sung Armat, 55, Anauk Kyi Gan Pyin Village, Maungdaw Township
Every time we prayed at the mosque, the Mawlawis told us that we all must
participate in the planned attacks. They said that we had to organize
ourselves, and collect weapons such as knives, swords, and heavy sticks,
and be ready to attack and set fire to the police outpost - when needed.
Villagers were called to visit the Mawlawis and hear from them, about the
planned attacks and methods to attack, and the goals of the Muslims. After
attacking the Thiho Police Outpost #2, Bengalis from other villages told
us to set fire to our own houses and escape into the mountains, and hide.
So, some Bengalis set fire to their own houses and ran away. As I had not run away yet I
was arrested on 8/25/2017 at 9:00 AM.

Ma Go La Mauk, 48, Bellami hamlet, Pauk Pin Yin, Rathedaung Township

ARSA conducted training sessions, focused on fighting skills, shooting
guns, and making handmade bombs and mines. They made bombs in the
home of Mawlawi Adu Shu Ku, and kept the bombs in Adu Shu Ku’s house
and Dil Ma Mauk’s house in our village. After attacking Chut Pyin Police
Outpost, in the early morning of 27/8/2017, ARSA members set fire to
Chut Pyin village. We set some mines on the road. All the villagers from our
village fled around around 5 AM on 28/8/2017.

Ahdu Sawbi,18, Padakar Ywa Thit Village, Maungdaw Township

The Mawlawi of the mosque is Fawkaw Raw Din Mauk. He and La Lu said
we should occupy Maungdaw region and make it an Islamic State. RSO
and ARSA members from Bangladesh are giving training secretly in some
villages. Now, the trainees would lead the attacks. [After the attacks] we
were told by Mawlawi Fawkaw Raw Din Mauk and La Lu to flee from
the village and go to Bangladesh, and burn the houses as we left. Then
we set the houses on fire and ran together with other Bengalis from other
villages.

Adullah, 24, Eitarlya (Middle) Village, Maungdaw Township

Around 03:15 AM on 25/8/2017, our group started the attacks shouting
‘Rohingya Zindabar! Rohingya Zindabar!’, ‘Allahu Akbar!, Allahu Akbar!’,
[Rohingya will dominate! Allah is the Greatest!] Some of us destroyed the
protection fences, and ARSA militants, and Nawzu Mudin, and Mawbullah
attacked with guns and bombs. The policemen started to shoot back from inside,
and we retreated, but were still shouting Islamic slogans as before. Then, I started
running in the darkness, and threw my wooden club away, and ran away from
there to home. Mawbullah and Nawzu Mudin, and others arrived in my village and
hid the guns under Mawbullah’s house. Then, Nawzu Mudin and Mawbullah told us to burn our
houses and to escape over the mountain, in order to delay the police if they were chasing us, but
first they retrieved the guns that they had hidden under Mawbullah’s house. Some Bengalis
burned their own houses and Nawzu Mudin and Mawbullah with ARSA militants burned Zu
La village, after ordering the villagers to flee.

6
Ae Mar Ran, 19, Mingalar Gyi Village, Maungdaw Township
After the attack on the Zin Pine Nya police outpost, we were told by
Mawlawi Har Face Mu Zar Bar to burn our houses by ourselves and then
flee. Some people burned their houses by themselves and fled away. I
was captured while I was at home at about 3:00 PM on 31/8/2017 by police
cooperating with Mingalar Gyi village chief Maung Maung Tin (Bengali).

Rawfis Annawa, 28, Mingalar Gyi, Maungdaw Township

At about 3:45 AM on 25/8/2017 our group besieged and attacked the police
station. The unknown RSO militants then attacked the police station with
handmade bombs and guns. The police retaliated towards us and we ran
away. Then I came back home. After having returned from attacking,
Mawlawi Rahay Ramauk told us to burn our own houses and run away.
Some of us set fires and ran away. At about 3:00 PM on 31/8/2017, the
police force surrounded my house and arrested me while I was there after
returning from the mosque.

EXCERPTS FROM INTERVIEWS BY THE ICOE

The ICOE chose not to publish the photos and names of the interviewees, and I will honor
that.

Attacks on Alai Than Kyaw Village Tract

Statement of a Muslim man who was a Maw Tu Lar Village Administrator
After crossing the Mayu mountain ranges, when the military arrived in the afternoon of
August 25, terrorists began to flee, otherwise they would have continued killing some of the
villagers. They set fire to their houses and ran away with the intention to put the blame
on the government. By doing so, they can fool the international community to believe
that security forces had burned their houses. During the attack, they first approached the
Alai Than Kyaw police station, followed by shootings at dawn that continued until 9 AM. After
that, they torched the houses, both theirs and of others. The terrorists abducted the clerk
of the Alai Than Kyaw Kan Yin Tan village tract administration office and her husband and
killed them near their prawn pond. She is known to be educated and quite liberal, she does
not wear the hijab, and behaved more like a Bamar or Rakhine Buddhist.

7
Attacks on Alai Than Kyaw Village Tract
Statement of a Muslim man, who is a former police sergeant
The Muslims made many trips, stealing livestock and properties, and selling them back in
Bangladesh. Besides looting, these Muslims are the ones who had torched the houses,
which they could not carry away for themselves. I also saw it. I would never be disloyal to
Myanmar. I would finally wish to say that I, myself, am a local Muslim. But, if they [those who
had fled] are accepted after their demands are met and they are recognized as Rohingya
race, maybe by the UN, it is bound to create an issue. Our Muslims are not good. They are
the ones who are always creating problems. They should be only recognized as Rakhine
Muslims or Myanmar Muslims.

Attacks on Kan Yin Tan Village, northern Maungdaw Township

Statement of a Muslim man
When we started to flee the village, fires had already broken
out in the village. The outbreaks of fire were not started by
the military or border-guard police, but by those Al-Yaqin
[Arabic name for ARSA] members who left the place first.
The fleeing villagers were not driven out by the military, but
they were so frightened by the threats of Al-Yaqin that they
decided to run away from the place. When peace was restored
in the village, I came back only to find that the herds of cattle I
had left were no longer seen and that my household property
had been engulfed by the fire and my motorbike had been destroyed in fire. There was
no evidence of my belongings taken away by the military or guard police or Rakhine locals.

Attacks on Ta Man Thar Village Tract, northern Maungdaw Township

Combined Statements of four Diagnet and one Mro witnesses
On August 27 and 28, ethnic nationals taking refuge in Ta Man Thar monastery, saw a huge
number of Muslims leave their villages, while carrying their belongings. After they left,
smokes started to rise from their villages, indicating that they torched their own houses as
they left.

Attacks on Nwa Yone Taung village tract, northern Maungdaw Township

Combined Statements of 6 Rakhine witnesses
As dawn broke on August 25, 2017, Muslims from Nwa Yone Taung (Muslim) village and Habi
village attacked Nwa Yone Taung police outpost. The Muslim group was more than a
thousand strong, while the police outpost had only six police personnel. On August 26,
Muslims, mostly women and children, from Nwa Yone Taung were seen crossing a creek
near their village as they fled from the village. On the same day, burning fires were seen in
Nwa Yone Taung (Muslim) village. As the fire burnt at the time when the Muslims fled, it can
be said that the Muslims themselves torched their houses. ARSA fighters had also hid
bombs in Nwa Yone Taung (Muslim) village and as the fire spread, sounds of those bombs
exploding were heard. Close to about 800 houses were burnt. The troops were not yet
conducting any patrols in Nwa Yone Taung village tract at that time. Ethnic nationals also
dared not go to the Nwa Yone Taung (Muslim) village because of landmines that the Muslims
had placed.

8
Attacks on Thet Kaing Nya Village, northern Maungdaw Township
Combined Statements of four Diagnet and one Mro witnesses
Around 3 AM on August 25, Muslims from Ta Man Thar village tract attempted to overrun the
Thet Kaing Nya village border guard police outpost. Sounds of explosions and gunshots
were heard. As the few overwhelmed border guard police had withdrawn to Ta Man Thar,
Muslims torched ethnic national houses in Thet Kaing Nya village. When their houses
were torched, ethnic nationals took refuge in the monastery.

Attacks on Myo Thu Gyi Village, Maungdaw Township

Statement of former Rakhine administrator of Myo Thu Gyi
[Myo Thu Gyi is just 2 miles south of Maungdaw town, and is largely inhabited by Muslims]

When that incident happened [on August 24, 2017], the outbreak of fire started from the
home where ammunition was secretly kept by the house owner, who had fled into
Bangladesh. When I got that information, I asked the villagers of Myo Thu Gyi to evacuate to
a safer place. On the following day, Friday, August 25, when I saw the smoke coming out of
Myo Thu Gyi village, I reported it to the heads-of-hundred-households and ten-households
[administrative positions]. It was learnt that the Muslim men had set fire to their own
houses and detonated dynamite near the district court at 3 Mile, and that there was no
military or police yet in the village of Myo Thu Gyi at the time of the incident.

Attacks on Nga Khu Ya Village Tract, northern Maungdaw Township

Statement of a Rakhine Buddhist witness
Early in the morning of August 25th, ARSA terrorists attacked Ah Htet Pyu Ma police station
with grenades and handmade mines. Personnel from Ah Htet Pyu Ma and ethnic nationals
retreated to Nga Khu Ya. As the entire Ah Htet Pyu Ma village was abandoned, around 9 AM
on August 27, Muslims burnt down the houses and destroyed the monasteries and
pagodas. About 10 or 11 PM on the 27th, Nga Khu Ya north village was found burning and
villagers fled in the night. On the 29th, Muslims from Nga Khu Ya south and middle villages
buried their valuables and left during the night. The fact that the valuables were buried
rather than burnt was proof that the Muslims themselves torched their houses.

Attacks on Nga Khu Ya Village Tract, northern Maungdaw Township

Combined Statements of five Hindu witnesses
On the night when the conflict of 2017 started, about 400 Muslims from Ah Htet Pyu Ma
started to shout and advance. Shots were exchanged with police and we heard that three
policemen and two Muslims were killed. From 4-9 PM that day, smoke rose
from A Htet Ah Htet Pyu Ma and north part of Nga Khu Ya. Two days after
the conflict, at about 11PM, a fire broke out in Nga Khu Ya (Muslim) village
and out of more than 600 houses, 80 were consumed by the fire. These
houses were also thought to be torched by the Muslims themselves.
Ever since the fires started to burn, the villagers were leaving both day and
night. At that time, army troops had not yet arrived. Hindus and Rakhine
Buddhists were told by the police not to go anywhere far, due to the
dangerous situation, and were kept near the police, so it was not possible
that they started the fire. The soldiers only arrived the next morning.

9
Attacks on Kyauk Pandu Village, southern Maungdaw Township
Combined Statements of 6 Rakhine Buddhists
Around 10 AM, August 25, 2017, explosions were heard near Kyauk Pandu village. A huge
crowd of people, numbering more than 30,000, dressed in black and waving black flags
approached the Pin Ma Gon police station from the south. The group included men, women
and children, holding sticks and swords. On seeing the huge crowd, ethnic nationals fled
with fear into the Pin Ma Gon police station. Policemen from Tada Oo police station also
came to join others at Pin Ma Gon. The Muslim crowd then burnt the Tada Oo police
station and placed IEDs [improvised explosive devices] on the bridge. After burning the
police station, the crowd approached the Kyauk Pandu village to burn it down, but the
villagers fired upon them with flintlock guns, forcing them to withdraw. Around 6 PM, about
30 soldiers, thought to be from 536 Light Infantry Battalion, arrived to protect Kyauk Pandu
village. Policemen from hill top police station were also able to join up with others in Pin Ma
Gon. The Muslims then torched the hilltop police station.

Attacks on Maungdaw Town - Statement of Rakhine Buddhist woman

I do not remember the date, but one night before the Ward 3 fire, from the back of my house,
I saw five or six people preparing bottles of kerosene oil and rags in a Muslim house. Their
house is only five feet away from my back fence. The fires started when Muslims torched
their own houses at about 9 or 10 AM the next day. After setting fire to their houses, over
a hundred Muslims from Ward 3 were seen in family groups carrying their baggage and
crossing the creek to the other country [Bangladesh]. The baggage that they were carrying
were neatly packed up, hinting that they had meticulously
planned what they would carry along with them and not
running in urgency due to the fire. Two days later, two or three
houses, again in Ward 3, were razed in fire. Most of the Muslims
had escaped by that time but some Muslims were said to have
returned and torched those houses. As soon as the fire erupted in
Ward 3, the Rakhine were not able to put out the fire as Muslim
men were standing and blocking the way. Without extinguishing
the fire, these Muslim men were just watching the fire spreading to
their houses.

Attacks on Maungdaw Town - Statement of Rakhine Buddhist man

I could hear the sound of gunfire starting at about 11 PM on the 24th until dawn. The turmoil
lasted the whole day on Friday. I could see that Maungdaw Ward 4 was on fire at about noon
on Saturday. I did not see when it was set on fire. The Muslims had torched their own
houses, and because the fire engines arrived in time, it did not spread to other places. We,
Rakhine, dared not enter the Muslim villages, and Muslims had torched their own houses
before they fled. The troops had not arrived yet at that time, and there was only the border
guard police.

Attacks on Maungdaw Town - Statement of Hindu man 1

On Friday evening August 24, 2017, four Hindu houses were set on fire by a force of
about 100 Muslims, holding sticks and swords. I had to flee to Ward 3.

10
Attacks on Maungdaw Town - Statement of Hindu man 2
Htoo Shee village [a Hindu village] and the Muslim villages are only one street apart. As
terrorists approached on August 25, all the people from the Rakhine and Hindu villages fled.
There were no security forces at that time. There were fires in Latha [Muslim] village. There
were Muslim houses close to the back of our house, and from there the fire spread to nine
Hindu houses. Before we fled, we saw Muslims, including villagers from Latha and
Eitalya villages, setting fire with fuel inside empty water bottles. I saw it from about a
hundred feet distance.

Attacks on Maungdaw Town - Statement of Hindu man 3

On Friday at 1 PM, 15 other Hindus and I saw over 500 Muslims, carrying sticks and swords,
approaching the Hindu village in Ward 4. When they saw us looking at them, they used
slingshots to attack us, and as we did not have any weapons with us, we fled to the Rakhine
village. As we looked back at the Hindu village from the Rakhine village road junction, we
saw Muslims using gas canisters to torch the Hindu houses. They were in groups of
about 15 each, destroying the houses. After 17 Hindu houses were being burnt down, the
Muslims turned back without entering the Rakhine village. While they were torching the
Hindu houses, over a thousand Muslims were seen going towards the police station. The
border guard police had to shoot in the air. As soon as they heard the shooting, the Muslim
groups nearby that were torching the houses got scared and fled.

Attacks on Maungdaw Town - Statement of Hindu woman who saw six family
members shot and killed by Muslims a few days previous
I saw the Muslims torching Hindu houses myself. There were about a hundred of them,
wearing black uniforms, hooded, and holding swords and guns. There was no one else
nearby. When the Muslims started to set fire to a house, I fled from my home, not seeing
how they torched it. About six houses were engulfed in flames.

Attacks on Maungdaw Town - Statement of Hindu man 4

There was shooting from both sides between the security forces and the Muslim fighters on
August 25, 2017. Then I saw Muslims and the ARSA organized armed group torching
the houses. With their faces covered, ARSA terrorists left towards Ward 5 at noon on the
25th, and entered Ward 4 at about 6PM, and I saw them setting fire to four or five Hindu
houses.

Attacks on Maungdaw Town - Statement of Hindu man 5

Muslims came to Htoo Shee village at 11:30 AM on August 26, 2017, and set the houses
on fire. About 20 houses were burnt down. We fled to Ward 3 and stayed there for one
month. There were no one left in the Muslim village, even before terrorists had arrived. The
border guard police were not there at that time and the troops also arrived only after the
terrorists had retreated.

by Rick Heizman, July 1, 2021

see many photos and videos: arakan-reality.smugmug.com

read my many papers: scribd.com/rheizman email: [email protected]
11