Ethnic Kaman Muslims from Kyaut Phyu Escaping to the Sea in Arakan State

October 24, 2012
M-Media
Reporting by Htun Taut

Many ethnic Kaman Muslims in Kyaut Phyu township have been injured and killed by Rakhines’ attacks today. Many houses were burnt down and destroyed as well.

M-Media’s local contacts said many Muslim families are trying to cross the sea towards Bangladesh to escape violence. There were 40 boats this morning, and another 30 were waiting for the tide good enough to move the boats.

“Many Muslims are dead due to Rakhines’ violence and terror today. We have only Bangladesh to run to, but we cannot run to anywhere else in Arakan state. If Bangladesh does not allow us to take refuge there, we can only be floating in the sea. We couldn’t bring food with us, and we don’t have fuel for the boats,” a Kyaut Phyu resident told M-Media as he sits on a boat.

His home was burnt down by Rakhines today.

A majority of Muslim residents in Kyaut Phyu are ethnic Kaman. M-Media learns that Rakhines have destroyed many mosques in Kyaut Phyu and that there are almost no Muslim left in town.