Burma’s Muslims lose homes, and hope

In October, dozens of Muslims were killed and thousands watched their homes go up in flames amid violent unrest in Rakhine state in Burma, also known as Myanmar. A Reuters special investigation, published on Nov. 11, 2012, concluded that the wave of attacks was organized and led by nationalists tied to a powerful political party in the state, incited by Buddhist monks and abetted by local security forces.

5 Seconds

00:00

Nov. 6, 2012

Destroyed houses stand amid the ruins of the burnt East Pikesake neighborhood in Kyaukphyu, Burma. The country is also known as Myanmar. According to a Reuters news agency investigation, nationalists in Rakhine state who are tied to a powerful political party there led a wave of attacks against Muslims in several villages; it was one of the most violent incidents of unrest this year.

/ Reuters

The Muslim Rohingya, who have been living in Rakhine state for generations, are viewed by Rakhine Buddhists and other Burmese as unauthorized immigrants from Bangladesh. In recent years, a series of incidents against the Muslims has exposed ethnic hatred that was mostly unheard of during the junta's rule. Here, a Muslim woman, displaced by recent violence in Kyaukphyu, cries after arriving at the Thaechaung refugee camp, outside of Sittwe.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

According to Reuters, the expulsion of Muslims in towns such as Pauktaw and Kyaukphyu is so vast that it could amount to ethnic cleansing.

/ Reuters

Hla Hla Myint, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, rests in the bed of a hospital in Kyuktaw.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

Muslim women are seen inside their house in Paik Thay, the site of recent violence between the Muslim Rohingya and Buddhist Rakhine people. One report said at least 21 women were killed in just one village.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

The violence has led to most of the Muslims fleeing their homes and living in refugee camps. Here, people displaced by violence in Kyaukphyu reach for aid at the Thaechaung refugee camp, outside of Sittwe, the capital of Rakhine state.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

People get a ride on a wooden boat in Paik Thay.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

A girl joins others to collect pieces of metal in the rubble of a neighborhood destroyed by fire in Pauktaw.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

A Muslim woman stands behind a fence as she collects water outside her village, which was burnt in recent violence in Mrauk Oo. In one village, Buddhist Rakhine mobs allegedly hurled molotov cocktails at wooden huts.

Soe Zeya Tun / Reuters

The flimsy bamboo homes of hundreds of people were set on fire by Rakhine men, according to Reuters.

/ Reuters

People sit among ruins of the burnt East Pikesake neighborhood, which is home to Kyaukphyu’s Muslims. Reuters reported that an unpublished video shot by an amateur cameraman showed young men in red bandannas entering the town in convoys of tractors and terrorizing the Muslims.

/ Reuters

According to official numbers, of the 11 dead in Kyaukphyu, nine were Muslims. Nearly all of the 891 houses destroyed belonged to Muslims, and nearly all of the 5,301 people displaced were Muslims.

/ Reuters

A puppy stands by the remains of a dog that residents said was its mother, days after it was killed in an area set ablaze in Kyaukphyu.

/ Reuters

A girl walks on a muddy beach carrying items salvaged from ruins in the East Pikesake neighborhood in Kyaukphyu.

/ Reuters

In all of Rakhine state, the official death toll stands at 89, and about 4,700 homes were destroyed in 42 villages. Here, a tree stands amid ruins in a Kyaukphyu neighborhood.

/ Reuters

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

BALTIMORE, MD - MAY 18: Jockey Gary Stevens rides Oxbow out to the front of the pack on the first straight away during the 138th Running of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Md., on Saturday, May 18, 2013. (Photo by Toni L. Sandys/The Washington Post)

Oxbow wins and infield fun at Preakness Stakes in Baltimore

Oxbow put D. Wayne Lukas in the record books again with an upset of Orb in the Preakness, giving the Hall of Fame trainer his 14th win in a Triple...

New York Yankees' Travis Hafner bats during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals Sunday, May 12, 2013, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

MLB power rankings

Barry Svrluga assesses the best teams in Major League Baseball through Thursday.

WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 13: Many seminary graduates are choosing not to become pastors. Rebecca J. Cole received her Master of Divinity and is becoming a community organizer on Capitol Hill. She hugs another graduate after the ceremony. The 2013 Commencement ceremony for Wesley Theological Seminary was held on May 13 at the Washington National Cathedral. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post)

Eager to minister, but not from the pulpit

An increasing number of divinity students who don’t plan to become pastors envision using their degrees to “minister” in a...

epa03704474 A Muslim woman at the ThetKalPyin temporary relief camp near Sittwe in Rakhine State, Western Myanmar, 17 May 2013. A total of 13 people were confirmed dead in neighboring Bangladesh as people began to return home from shelters, a day after Cyclone Mahasen hit the coast, officials said 17 May. EPA/NYEIN CHAN NAING

Photos of the day

Cyclone Mahasen, Texas tornadoes, puffin census, melting Swiss glacier and more.

LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 16: American Idol Season 12 Winner Candice Glover (C) is seen onstage during Fox's 'American Idol 2013' Finale Results Show at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live on May 16, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

Candice Glover wins 12th season of ‘American Idol’

The 23-year-old vocal powerhouse from St. Helena Island, S.C., tops competition in her third try.

US actress Claire Julien smiles on May 16, 2013 while posing during a photocall for the film 'The Bling Ring' at the 66th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes. Cannes, one of the world's top film festivals, opened on May 15 and will climax on May 26 with awards selected by a jury headed this year by Hollywood legend Steven Spielberg. AFP PHOTO / ALBERTO PIZZOLI (Photo credit should read ALBERTO PIZZOLI/AFP/Getty Images)

Eye on entertainment

Claire Julien, David Hasselhoff, Freida Pinto, Candice Glover, Martin Short and more.

**LOC IMAGE** Geo. Hamilton, Assistant Superintendent, Cambria Iron Mills house, Johnstown Flood, May 31st, 1889. (Photo by Ernest Walter Histed / Library of Congress)

The Johnstown Flood of 1889

On May 31, 1889, the South Fork dam that held Lake Conemaugh failed, and 20 million tons of water descended upon Johnstown, Pa. The flood claimed the lives of 2,209 people and spurred...

HACIPASA, TURKEY - MAY 5: Syrian refugee Hala ponders her life on the run on Sunday, May 5, 2013, in Hacipasa, Turkey. Three times this morning, the sounds of aircrafts were followed by explosions that shook the ground. Hacipasa, which sits just across the river border from Syria, is home of several hundred Syrian refugees who have been displaced by their home country's conflict. For a year, Hala and her family have been displaced from their home village in Syria because of violent conflict. After bouncing from village to village, fleeing bombings that seemed to follow them, the family crossed into Turkey six weeks ago. Initially, the family was deported back into Syria, where they lived in camps for internally displaced Syrians. But when the camps were bombed, the family was allowed to cross into Turkey. Hala said, 'The blood of the people who died in Syria, the martyrs, is our sad song, but nobody is listening.' (Photo by Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

Turkey faces a refugee crisis

More than 400,000 Syrians have crossed into Turkey seeking refuge from the conflict at home. Finding its resources stretched, Turkey is urgently appealing for international aid and...

Back to Previous Gallery

Discussion Policy | FAQ | About Discussions

Comments

Add your comment

Read what others are saying About Badges

SuperFan Badge

SuperFan badge holders consistently post smart, timely comments about Washington area sports and teams.

More about badges | Request a badge

Culture Connoisseur Badge

Culture Connoisseurs consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on the arts, lifestyle and entertainment.

More about badges | Request a badge

Fact Checker Badge

Fact Checkers contribute questions, information and facts to The Fact Checker.

More about badges | Request a badge

Washingtologist Badge

Washingtologists consistently post thought-provoking, timely comments on events, communities, and trends in the Washington area.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Writer Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post editor, reporter or producer.

Post Forum Badge

Post Forum members consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on politics, national and international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Weather Watcher Badge

Weather Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on climates and forecasts.

More about badges | Request a badge

World Watcher Badge

World Watchers consistently offer thought-provoking, timely comments on international affairs.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Contributor Badge

This commenter is a Washington Post contributor. Post contributors aren’t staff, but may write articles or columns. In some cases, contributors are sources or experts quoted in a story.

More about badges | Request a badge

Post Recommended

Washington Post reporters or editors recommend this comment or reader post.

You must be logged in to report a comment.

Comments our editors find particularly useful or relevant are displayed in Top Comments, as are comments by users with these badges: . Replies to those posts appear here, as well as posts by staff writers.

All comments are posted in the All Comments tab.

More about badges

Get a badge

To pause and restart automatic updates, click "Live" or "Paused". If paused, you'll be notified of the number of additional comments that have come in.