By The Stateless Rohingya

Cox’s Bazar: Ukhiya Forestry Department destroyed 120 temporary sheltered built by the new Rohingya refugees fled into Bangladesh from the ongoing military operations in northern Maungdaw, Rakhine State, Myanmar.

Under the order of South Cox’s Bazar Forestry Department Mohammed Ali Kobir, Ukhiya forester Abdul Mannan and his team came to the site near unregistered Kutupalong Rohingya Refugee camp, where the victims of crimes against humanity temporarily take refuge.

The officials carried out the demolition between 10:15 am and 12:00 pm on Monday, December 19, 2016. The huts were made of plastic sheets and bamboos which were donated by local people and unregistered Rohingya refugees after pleading for shelters.

At the time of demolition, the families were preparing for the breakfast who were shocked by the actions of Bangladesh forestry department, having seen their houses and properties destroyed and killed several members of their family by Myanmar armed forces in their own country.

An elderly Rohingya refugee cried, “We came to this Muslim country to save our family dignity from rape and sexual harassment, and to escape from being killed after losing everything we possessed in Myanmar. We have not yet overcome the nightmare of Myanmar military crimes, and we see again the similar destruction and humiliation.”

More than 500 of them now face the harsh winter without shelter and limited food, water and medicine in the new place of refuge where the humanitarian assistance almost non-existence.

It is also reported that the forestry department will continue demolition of other new huts in Kutupalong and other places.

More than 27,000 Rohingya fled Myanmar as the military and police launched a campaign of “ethnic cleansing” against them since October 9, which is being condemned internationally for summary killing, arbitrary arrest, massive gang-rape, intentional destruction of houses and villages, and blockage of humanitarian assistance to more than 40,000 newly displaced Rohingya and failure to conduct independent investigation for the crimes against humanity in the north of Maungdaw.