Amnesty International: Myanmar’s Muslim Rohingyas being targeted as violence continues in west

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

BANGKOK, Thailand — Amnesty International says communal violence is continuing in western Myanmar six weeks after the government declared a state of emergency, and that much of it is directed at minority Muslim Rohingyas.

The rights group accuses both security forces and local Rakhine Buddhists of carrying out attacks against Rohingyas in the region and says an unknown number have been beaten, killed and raped.

The group’s Asia researcher, Benjamin Zawacki, says while both Buddhists and Muslims have been targeted, recent violence has been directed primarily against Rohingyas.

Tensions between the Rakhines and the Rohingyas are longstanding, partly because many Rakhines consider Rohingyas to be illegal settlers from neighbouring Bangladesh.

The government says clashes in May and June left at least 78 people dead. A state of emergency was declared June 10.

02:02ET 20-07-12