Myanmar says 10 soldiers, cops face action

YANGON: Action will be taken against 10 members of Myanmar’s security forces in connection with the killing of captured Rohingya Muslims in Rakhine state, a government spokesman said yesterday, adding it was not related to a Reuters report on the incident.

Reuters on Friday published a report laying out events that led up to the killing of 10 Rohingya men in the Rakhine village of Inn Din who were buried in a mass grave after being hacked to death or shot by their neighbours and soldiers.

A government spokesman, Zaw Htay, said “action according to the law” would be taken against seven soldiers, three police officers and six villagers as part of an army probe that was initiated before the Reuters report was published.

The arrests were “not because of Reuters news. The investigation was being conducted even before Reuters news”, he said, adding that he was unable to specify what action would be taken against the 16.

On Jan 10, the military said the 10 Rohingya men belonged to a group of 200 “terrorists” who had attacked security forces. Rakhine villagers attacked some of them with swords and soldiers shot the others dead, the military said, adding that it would act on those involved.

The military’s version of events is contradicted by accounts given to Reuters by Rakhine and Rohingya witnesses.

Rakhine villagers reported no attack by a large number of rebels on security forces in Inn Din.

Rohingya witnesses told Reuters that soldiers plucked the 10 from among hundreds of men, women and children who had sought safety on a nearby beach. – Reuters