June 2, 2024
On May 29, a Myanmar military column of around 100 soldiers entered Byine Phyu Village in Sat Roe Kya Village Tract near Sittwe, Rakhine State, and massacred over 40 civilians.
The current death toll stands at 41, including 38 men and 3 women. Among those detained, three women were raped, and two of them were subsequently killed. The third woman remains missing.
The junta soldiers, accompanied by members of the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), led by Saw Myarzar Lin, entered the village, searching house-to-house, and subsequently executed the villagers they found. They were killed at the village school, cemetery, and along the roads.
Among the victims were notable figures, including Rakhine singer U Kyaw Hla and his son. The bodies of the deceased were burned, and some were transported away by vehicles. Several women and men were later released at Winga Babar Ground.
Byine Phyu Village, home to over 1,000 households, is now largely deserted, with residents fleeing to Sittwe or seeking refuge in other villages. Due to the fear of further attacks, villages like Satrokya, Kyaetaw, Shwe Mingan, and Thandwelee are also in a state of alarm.
The junta has imposed strict restrictions on movement in and out of Byine Phyu Village, with continuous patrols along the highways leading to Sittwe. A local from Sittwe reported to New Day Myanmar, “The roads into Sittwe are heavily guarded, making it difficult for people to leave. Many monasteries are now sheltering displaced persons. Wealthier residents have evacuated to safer areas, while villages are being abandoned.”
Landmines planted by the junta’s military and police forces in March and April have further trapped residents within Sittwe. Over the past six months, the junta has unlawfully detained 425 civilians, according to a report released by the United League of Arakan (ULA/AA) on May 28. Additionally, 268 civilians have died due to heavy artillery and airstrikes.
