A/HRC/39/CRP.2
the weeks prior to the “clearance operation”, and a meeting was convened for village leaders
at which Tatmadaw soldiers of the 33rd LID made death threats.1697
781. Myanmar authorities reported that the “Chopyin outpost in Region-11” was attacked
by ARSA on 27 August 2017 “with homemade bombs” but that the attack was “repulsed by
security personnel”. No casualties were reported.1698 The Mission was unable to verify this
attack.1699 However, plans for a “clearance operation” in Chut Pyin appear to have been made
prior to this. Different groups of people fleeing from the “clearance operation” in nearby Zay
Di Pyin the previous day were instructed by soldiers present not to enter Chut Pyin. One
Rohingya village elder stated that he received a phone call from the village administrator of
Chin (Pyaing Taung) to this effect.1700 Consequently, villagers fleeing Zay Di Pyin sought
refuge in Chin (Pyaing Taung) instead.1701
782. On 27 August 2017, Chut Pyin was subject to a particularly brutal “clearance
operation”. At around 2pm,1702 a large group of hundreds of Tatmadaw soldiers,1703 including
members of the 33rd LID1704 as well as other security forces,1705 came out of the Rakhine
hamlet1706 and surrounded Chut Pyin. 1707 They were accompanied by a smaller number of
ethnic Rakhine from neighbouring villages. 1708
783. The security forces then opened fire, shooting at villagers, including those who were
fleeing.1709 Soldiers also dragged people from houses and shot some of them at point blank
range.1710 Others were killed by having their throats slit with large knives.1711 “If people were
not killed by the gunshots, they were slaughtered to make sure they were really dead”,
reported one survivor.1712 Killing with knives was frequently perpetrated by ethnic
Rakhine.1713
784. During the course of the operation, structures in Chut Pyin were burned and destroyed.
The security forces used “launchers” to set houses on fire, including those still occupied. 1714A
number of people were forced inside houses, which were then intentionally set alight. 1715 In
one house, a group of between six and seven men were forced inside; some escaped, others
were burned alive.1716
785. One elderly woman described how she was pulled out of her house, together with her
70-years old brother:
1697
1698
1699
1700
1701
1702
1703
1704
1705
1706
1707
1708
1709
1710
1711
1712
1713
1714
1715
1716
RI-001, RI-004; See this chapter, section D.2.b. The build-up to 25 August 2017.
Information Committee, “Breaking News 10: Terrorists trying to destroy Maungtaw“ (Facebook post,
27 August 2017), https://www.facebook.com/InfomationCommittee/posts/786691611503947
K-154.1.
CI-145, LI-118, LI-129, QI-115, K-155.1.
CI-145, CI-184, LI-118, LI-129, QI-115, K-155.1.
BI-007, BI-008, BI-009, BI-010, CI-019, CI-177, CI-185, CI-191, LI-008, QI-050, QI-052, RI-001, WI-003, WI-005,
WI-006, WI-027, V-067.
BI-007, BI-008, BI-009, CI-019, CI-177, CI-191, EI-003, EI-004, EI-005, LI-008, LI-009, LI-010, QI-050, QI-052, WI003, WI-005, WI-006, WI-024, WI-027, LM-006, LM-012, LM-018, K-151, K-155.1, V-075.
CI-191, LM-014, XM-008, V-067, V-071.
BI-007, BI-008, BI-009, BI-010, CI-019, WI-003, WI-006, WI-024, LM-012, V-073, V-067.
CI-177, WI-003.
BI-007, BI-008, BI-009, BI-010, CI-185, CI-191, LI-010, QI-052, WI-005, LM-006.
BI-008, BI-009, CI-019, CI-177, CI-185, CI-191, EI-003, EI-004, EI-005, LI-042, QI-031, QI-052,
RI-001, RI-004, WI-005, WI-006, WI-027.
BI-008, BI-009, BI-010, CI-019, EI-003, EI-004, EI-005, LI-009, LI-010, QI-050, WI-003, WI-005,
WI-006, WI-024, WI-027.
BI-008, LI-008, WI-024, LM-006.
CI-191, LI-008, LI-009, WI-002, WI-005, WI-027.
WI-005.
BI-009, CI-191, LI-042, QI-050, WI-024, WI-027, K-155.2, V-073, V-075.
BI-008, BI-009, BI-010, EI-003, EI-004, LI-008, LI-009, LI-010, QI-050, RI-001, WI-003, WI-005,
WI-024, WI-027.
WI-003, WI-005.
WI-003, WI 005, V-075.
185